Two groups of Indian friends win $1million each in Dubai Duty Free draw

Dubai: Two groups of Indian friends won $1 million each in the latest Dubai Duty Free Millennium Millionair held on Wednesday at at Dubai International Airport.

Fayad Ahamed, a 40-year-old Indian national based in Dubai became a US$1 million winner, in Millennium Millionaire Series 482 with ticket number 3266 which he purchased online on 16th November.

A resident of Dubai for 12 years now, Ahamed shared the cost of the ticket with his ten friends, who have been participating in the Dubai Duty Free promotion for three years now, alternating the name on the ticket for each series whenever they purchase.

Ahamed is a father of two and works as an IT support for an insurance company in Dubai. “Thank you Dubai Duty Free, we are very grateful for this win,” he said.

Second winner

Joining Ahamed as a fellow US dollar millionaire is Vinod Puthiya Purayil, a 29-year-old Indian national based in Dubai who was announced as the winner of US$1 million in Millennium Millionaire Series 483 with ticket number 1880 which he purchased online on November 30.

A resident of Dubai for 10 years now, Purayil shared the ticket cost with his nine other friends, who have been participating in the Dubai Duty Free promotion for more than four years now, alternating the name on the ticket for each series whenever they purchase.

Purayil who works as equipment operators for Dnata, is very excited to win the prize as his wife is 7 months pregnant. “Thank you so much Dubai Duty Free! This win will definitely help us a lot,” he said.

Ahamed and Mr. Purayil are the 241st and 242nd Indian nationals to have won the Millennium Millionaire promotion since 1999, respectively, with Indian nationals being the biggest buyers of tickets.

The draw was conducted by Dubai Duty Free Managing Director, Ramesh Cidambi, Salah Tahlak accompanied by other senior officials.

Finest Surprise Draw

Following the Millennium Millionaire draw, the Finest Surprise draw was conducted for two luxury car and one motorbike.

Rajasekaran Samaresan, a 43-year-old Indian national based in Dubai won a luxury car, with ticket number 1138 in the Finest Surprise Series 1900 which he purchased online on 6th December.

A regular participant in Dubai Duty Free’s promotion for 3 years now, Samaresan is no stranger to winning with Dubai Duty Free as he also previously won a motorbike, with ticket number 1139 in Finest Surprise Series 586 in June this year.

Samaresan is a father of three and runs a small restaurant in Dubai International City “Thank you Dubai Duty Free! I will continue to participate in the hope of winning US$1 million next,” he said.

Meanwhile, Sultan Mohamed Salim Alhamour, a 44-year-old Emirati national based in Dubai won a SUV, with ticket number 1232 in Finest Surprise Series 1901 which he purchased at The Irish Village on his birthday, 29th November.

A regular participant in Dubai Duty Free’s promotion for 20 years now, Alhamour works for a government agency in Sharjah. “Finally, I won something from Dubai Duty Free! Thank you so much,” he said.

Lastly,  Mohammed Arshad Ali, a 29-year-old Indian national based in Sharjah won a luxury motorbike with ticket number 0653 in Finest Surprise Series 605 which he purchased online 6th December.

A resident of Sharjah for 11 years, Ali has been a regular participant in Dubai Duty Free’s promotion over the past 5 months now.

“This is really a surprise! Thank you so much Dubai Duty Free.,” he said.