UAE | General
Postcard Millionaire winner bought ticket to help ailing friend
A 53-year-old Indian bought a Postcard Millionaire pack with the sole purpose of freeing a fellow countryman from his debts - three days later he won a million Dirhams and he kept his promise.
- By Sunita Menon, Staff Reporter
- Published: 00:05 June 8, 2008
- Image Credit: Supplied Picture
- I shall utilise the remaining money to sort some personal needs. … I have planned majority of it for various charitable causes says Mustafa Beeroli, a Philanthropist.
Dubai: A 53-year-old Indian bought a Postcard Millionaire pack with the sole purpose of freeing a fellow countryman from his debts - three days later he won a million Dirhams and he kept his promise.
Mustafa Beeroli had come to know about Naushad, 35, Indian, who is sick, from one of his colleagues, Nissar.
"Nissar wanted to get some help for Naushad who worked in a hotel. I was told how this fellow was struggling at work because of his poor health. I was quite moved from what I heard about Naushad and wanted to meet him."
Both Nissar and Beeroli met Naushad in Deira around midnight. The first thing Mustafa noticed about Naushad was his slight limp on the left leg.
"There was a considerable swelling on his left thigh. During the course of our conversation, I learnt that Naushad is from my hometown Kunjipalli in the south Indian state of Kerala and he penned religious songs. I learnt that his fisherman father had died of cancer without getting treatment as they were unable to afford it.
"Naushad eked out a living by doing odd jobs of a painter and part-time labour. He came to the UAE with the help of his brother and worked in a hotel as a waiter but after a few months he developed a vein problem on his thigh. The treatment here turned out to be costly and so his elder brother decided to sent him back to Kerala and get Naushad some medical attention," said Beeroli.
Naushad received treatment at MIMS hospital in Kozhikode and he took a bank loan for the purpose.
To repay the loan he had to return to the UAE and went back to his former job at the hotel. However, he found it difficult to continue because the long working hours at the hotel did not do any good to his affected thigh.
Social commitments
"I was sad by his plight and so promised to help him out with the help of some friends. A couple of days later on my way to work I came across a large billboard that featured an advertisement on Postcard Millionaire. I decided to get a pack and hoped that I win. This was the fastest manner by which I could help out Naushad.
"Three days later, on May 28 I get a telephone call as I was on my way back from a mosque. The lady on the other end asks me whether I had brought a postcard millionaire pack. She then asked me to tally the number on the card.... I had won a million Dirhams. I did not waste a single moment and telephoned Naushad asking him not to worry and that I have enough money to pay off his entire debt of Indian rupees 63,000 (Dh5,433).
Naushad then requested Beeroli to buy him a new pen to continue his literary work.
Beeroli's wife and five children back home in Kerala constantly support him on his mission to help the needy. He is an active member of two socially committed associations in Dubai.
"The Kunjipalli Islamic Cultural Centre is committed to various needs of poor people. Azhiyoor Welfare Association focuses on helping people who are ill and cannot afford to pay for their treatment."
"I shall utilise the remaining money to sort some personal needs. But I have planned majority of it for various charitable causes," concluded Beeroli.
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