Ajman-based Kerala photographer lands $1m Dubai Duty Free prize
Two Dubai residents win BMW and Aprilia motorbikes in separate draws
DUBAI – An Indian photographer based in Ajman has won $1 million in the latest Dubai Duty Free Millennium Millionaire promotion after his ticket was selected in the draw.
Jijo Pulikkathodi, 41, won Millennium Millionaire Series 556 with ticket number 4891, which he purchased online on August 22. The Ajman resident had shared the cost of the winning ticket with 17 Indian friends who had been participating in the promotion together for the past three or four months.
Pulikkathodi, who has lived in Ajman for four years, said the prize would help everyone in the group. “Thanks a lot Dubai Duty Free. This win will definitely help us all,” he said after the draw.
Group win
Originally from Kerala, Pulikkathodi is a photographer based in Ajman and a father of two. His $1 million prize makes him the 283rd Indian national to win $1 million through the Dubai Duty Free Millennium Millionaire promotion since it was launched in 1999.
Indian nationals remain the biggest purchasers of tickets in the long-running promotion, which has produced winners from a wide range of nationalities over the years.
The latest Millennium Millionaire draw was held at Concourse B of Dubai International Airport. Dubai Duty Free Managing Director Ramesh Cidambi conducted the draw alongside members of the company's executive and senior management teams.
The event also featured the presentation of a ceremonial cheque to the winner of Millennium Millionaire Series 554.
Rohan Prakash Fernandes, an Indian national based in Dubai, won Series 554 with ticket number 1710. He received his ceremonial cheque from Cidambi and other members of the Dubai Duty Free executive team.
Fernandes thanked Dubai Duty Free for the opportunity to participate and attend the presentation ceremony. He also encouraged fellow participants to remain hopeful about their chances of winning.
His advice was to “just have hope that you will win and keep manifesting it inside your mind that you’re going to win.”
Luxury prizes
The Millennium Millionaire presentation was followed by the Finest Surprise draw, which awarded three luxury vehicles to winners.
Yogesh Dhanak, 53, an Indian national based in Sharjah, won a Range Rover SE P360 in Carpathian Grey with ticket number 1243 in Finest Surprise Series 1962. He purchased the ticket at Concourse B on August 19.
Dhanak was born and raised in Dubai and has been regularly participating in the Dubai Duty Free promotion for the past 15 years. He said he buys tickets whenever he travels.
The father of two works for a manufacturing firm in Sharjah. Following his win, Dhanak described Dubai Duty Free as “number one” and thanked the company for his first prize.
Another winner was Eser Erol, 35, a Turkish national based in Dubai, who won a BMW F 900 GS motorbike in Trophy White, Blue and Red. Erol secured the prize with ticket number 0978 in Finest Surprise Series 677 after purchasing the ticket at Concourse A on August 30.
Erol has lived in Dubai since 2024 and bought his third Dubai Duty Free promotion ticket when he secured the motorbike. A certified biker, he works at Dubai Airport Freezone Area as a regional sales manager for Bosch Middle East.
“It’s my first time winning something from a draw. Thank you Dubai Duty Free,” Erol said.
A second motorbike prize went to Melwin Pontes, an Indian national based in Dubai. He won an Aprilia Tuono V4 1100 in Shark Grey with ticket number 0505 in Finest Surprise Series 678 after purchasing his ticket online on September 1.
For Pontes, the latest win marked his second motorbike prize through the Dubai Duty Free promotion. He previously won an Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1100 in Black Red with ticket number 0650 in Finest Surprise Series 640 in October 2025.