Dubai: Luck favoured two low-income Indian expatriates from Kerala on Sunday during the fourth gold raffle for this year’s Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF).
Rameshan K.V., a house painter who works for a maintenance company in Dubai, won a solitaire diamond ring on Sunday after buying two gold bracelets worth Dh690 for his twin sons.
“I’m very happy because it’s the first time that I’ve bought gold in my seven years in Dubai and then I won the diamond ring,” Rameshan, 41, told Gulf News during a short break from his painting job in a building in Bur Dubai.
Rameshan said the bracelets were gifts for his sons whom he has not yet seen since they were born one-and-a-half years ago.
“I saved some money for three months to be able to buy them the bracelets before going for my vacation next month. I think the twins are my lucky charm.”
“I will give the diamond ring to my wife as a gift. Now, I not only have gifts for my twins but for my wife as well,” he added.
Abdul Wahid, Rameshan’s supervisor, said Rameshan deserved to win because he was a very hard-working person.
“Whatever job you give him, he will do it very well. He is very cooperative and has a good heart. He is also easy-going and free spirited,” he told Gulf News.
Like Rameshan, Mohanan Benny, who won the one kilogram of gold on Sunday, bought gold ornaments as gifts for his family. But he said it was just chance he won because he had not planned to buy gold that night. His prize is estimated to be worth about Dh146,000.
Blessing
“My friend was the one who wanted to buy gold. Then while we were there, I too decided to buy gold to give to my wife and daughter in Kerala,” Benny, 41, an administrative assistant, told Gulf News.
“Nowadays, we’re just getting through the days and trying to get by on our meagre salary. So, this is a blessing, not only for me but also for those others like me.”
Benny said he had not yet decided on what to do with his prize but he is contemplating selling it to buy a home for his family.
Tomy Joseph, general manager of Dubai Gold and Jewellery Group, which organises the raffle, said he has noted a significant increase in participants this year because of the lowered minimum spend of Dh500.
“There has been a lot of response from the market. The jewellers are also reporting their best sales in seven years,” he told Gulf News, without giving exact figures.
