Abu Dhabi: An Indian expatriate in Kuwait who won Dh7 million in Abu Dhabi Big Ticket raffle draw on Thursday said it was a godsend gift during a crisis.
“The company I have been working [as an executive assistant] for past 26 years was taken over by another company and we have been going through an uncertain time,” Anil Varghese Theveril, 50, told Gulf News on phone from Kuwait on Thursday afternoon.
He said he has been awaiting for the end-of-service benefit as promised by the employer during the ownership change of the company. “This came at the right time. It is a big support given by God!” said Theveril who is from the South Indian state of Kerala.
He had chosen a ticket number online, which represented his only son Rohit Varghese’s birthday that brought him luck. “I was looking for a number related to his birthday in November 1997 [11/97] for a while but I never found it online. When I saw a related number [Ticket Number: 011197], I immediately grabbed it online. I always had a feeling that my son has an element of luck with him,” said Theveril who met with luck in his fourth attempt with a lottery.
He had purchased two tickets of Dubai Duty Free and one Abu Dhabi Big Ticket during the past two years.
The winner said he was sure that he would win the lottery one day. “I think that faith given by God attracted this luck towards me!”
Theveril first called up his wife who works as a senior accountant with a travel agent in Kuwait to break the news. “She was damn cool, although I was very excited.”
His son has just completed his BCom from a college in Kerala and he wants to pursue ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants). “I just informed him without revealing the amount [which will be 127.05 million Indian rupees]. Theveril has not made up his mind about future. Given the uncertainty with his current job, he is not sure of continuing in Kuwait. “Still I may continue here this year. Even if I go home, I will not sit idle. I will do something — a job or business.”
He will set aside a part of the money for his son’s higher studies and charity. “I had a comfortable life and I was helping others within my limited means. I think that good deeds also contributed to this luck. I will continue doing such good things,” Theveril said.