Indian man in Dubai who lost job due to COVID-19 wins million dollars in draw

Indian man in Dubai who lost job due to COVID-19 wins million dollars in draw

Mangalore Today News Network

Dubai, Dec 21, 2020:    An unemployed Indian expat from Kerala, who lost his job in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, won one million dollars at the Dubai Duty Free (DDF) Millennium Millionaire Draw, a media report said. Navaneeth Sajeevan, 30 years old, who has been working in an Abu Dhabi-based company, is currently serving his notice period after he was made redundant last month, the Gulf News report said on Sunday.

 

Speaking to Gulf News, Navaneeth, who is originally from Kasargod in Kerala, said that he had just completed a job interview when he received the call from DDF on Sunday, informing him of the million-dollar win. He had bought the winning ticket online on November 22.

Navaneeth told the Gulf News that his wife was still working in Dubai and he was planning to go home to Kerala if he didn’t find a good job soon. December 28 was his last working day at the company he was made redundant.

He had loans to repay to the tune of 100,000 dirhams, he said, and that the money won will be used for that. That would come to about 27,200 dollars. The rest of his share of the prize money will go to his savings, he said.

He was sharing the prize money with four of his colleagues and friends but he’d still get 200,000 dollars, Navaneeth said.

He is the 171st person from India to win the prize. Navaneeth has been living in Abu Dhabi for four years. He lives with his wife and one-year-old child.

Indians make up the highest number of DDF Millennium Millionaire ticket buyers. The DDF has been around for 37 years. December 20 was the anniversary and it was marked by presenting the million-dollar award to another person as well. UAE resident Abdalla Alteneiji is the other winner.

Courtesy:The News Minute