Watch: Two Indian groups share $1m each in Dubai Duty Free draw
Finest Surprise draw awards Land Rover and Aprilia motorbike
DUBAI – Two groups of Indian colleagues have each won $1 million in the latest Dubai Duty Free Millennium Millionaire draw, held on Wednesday at Concourse A of Dubai International Airport.
Ettiyanikkal Pailybabu, a 56-year-old Indian national living in Dubai, became a $1 million winner in Millennium Millionaire Series 513 with ticket number 3068, purchased online on 18th August. Pailybabu, a site supervisor from Kerala and father of two, shared the ticket with nine colleagues who have been taking turns participating in the draw for the past four years.
“Thank you Dubai Duty Free for this timely win! We are very happy and blessed,” said Pailybabu. He added that he plans to return to Kerala and start a small business with his share of the prize.
Another lucky winner
Meanwhile, Gopi Devarajan, a 46-year-old Indian national based in Sharjah, won in Millennium Millionaire Series 514 with ticket number 1978, purchased online on 14th August. Devarajan, a hospital manager and father of two from Chennai, shared the ticket with three colleagues and has been participating in the promotion since 2009.
Describing his win as “unbelievable,” Devarajan said he will save the prize money for his children’s education, and may also buy a house and start a small business.
Pailybabu and Devarajan are the 257th and 258th Indian nationals to win $1 million in the Millennium Millionaire promotion since its launch in 1999, with Indian participants remaining the largest group in the draw. The draws were conducted by Dubai Duty Free Managing Director Ramesh Cidambi, alongside senior executives including Sinead El Sibai, Mona Al Ali, Michael Schmidt, Sharon Beecham, Zayed Al Shebli, Mansoor Al Khaja, and Mohamad Al Khaja.
Finest Surprise winners
Following the Millennium Millionaire draw, the Finest Surprise promotion awarded two luxury vehicles. Khaled Al Dhaheri, a 51-year-old Emirati from Abu Dhabi, won a Land Rover Defender 110 V8 HSE P525 (Fuji White) with ticket number 0047 in Series 1931, purchased online on 7th August. Al Dhaheri, a retired government employee and father of four, expressed his delight, saying, “I’m so happy and lucky that I won with Dubai Duty Free. Thank you so much!”
The second prize, an Aprilia RSV4 1100 motorbike (Grey), went to Olavo Fernandes, an Indian national in the UAE, holding ticket number 0602 in Series 635, purchased online on 9th August. Fernandes has not yet been contacted but is expected to celebrate the win.