Dubai: Two Indians have each won $1 million in the latest Dubai Duty Free Millennium Millionaire draw held at Concourse C of Dubai International Airport on Wednesday.
One of the winners, Sagar Anand Bhatia, who is a Dubai-based businessman, said: “It is a big amount to win and I am grateful. It is soon for me to decide where the money will go, but definitely part of it will go towards topping up my business.”
Born and raised in Abu Dhabi, Bhatia, 35, told Gulf News his late parents had moved to the UAE in the 70s. He has been buying tickets for the draw for over 20 years now.
“My father always told me to buy the DDF ticket. He said ‘keep buying the ticket, one day you will win’. Thanks to him I am a million-dollar-winner today.”
Bhatia, who runs a technical and engineering supply company, said part of his win will also go towards his family.
The other winner was Daveedu, a 53-year-old resident of Hyderabad city in India. A regular participant in Dubai Duty Free’s promotion for two years now, the father-of-two and works as a civil contractor for a private company.
Daveedu and Bhatia are the 203rd and 204th Indian nationals, respectively, to win $1 million since the start of the Millennium Millionaire promotion in 1999. Indian nationals make up the highest number of Dubai Duty Free Millennium Millionaire ticket buyers.
Finest Surprise
Following the Millennium Millionaire draw, the Finest Surprise draw was conducted for two luxury vehicles.
American citizen Daniel Abraham, based in Florida, won a Mercedes Benz S500 car. He is currently unreachable.
Meanwhile Bangladeshi expat Salem Yaqub, 37, who lives in Ajman, won a BMW F 850 GS Adventure motorbike.
A regular participant in the Dubai Duty Free promotion for three years now, Yaqub has previously won a Mercedes Benz S560 car.
Born and raised in Ajman, Yaqub is the owner of Salem Shopping Centre in Ajman.
“Indeed, Dubai Duty Free is full of surprises. I cannot believe that I won again in the same month of January,” he said.
