Indian expat who quit Dubai wins Dh1 million in Big Ticket draw

Varsha Gunda and her children hope to return to the Emirates to be with her husband here

Varsha Gunda with her husband Narendra and family in Dubai. Handout photo

An Indian expat who left Dubai after struggling with the cost of living has clinched Dh1 million in the UAE's Big Ticket draw - and now wants to move back.

Varsha Gunda, 34, bought a ticket online from India after getting a lucky feeling.

She got two tickets online for the second weekly draw but got two free on offer. Her seven-year-old son picked the winning ticket.

Her husband Narendra Gunda, 38, an IT engineer, said: “I have been buying the Big Ticket for the last three years.

“On November 12, my wife said she had an intuition that if she bought it from her account, she might win. Her hunch was right.”

The family lived together in Dubai until 2018, but Mr Gunda’s wife, daughter Likhitha, 10, and son Shamik, 7, moved back to India because of the cost of living, while he stayed on.

“I hope my family can join me in the UAE now,” Mr Gunda said.

He said his wife missed the life-changing call from the Big Ticket office on Thursday because her Indian phone number was not working.

Varsha Gunda with her husband Narendra, daughter Likhitha, 10, and son Shamik, 7. Ms Gunda won the 1 million Abu Dhabi Big Ticket this week. Photo: Varsha Gunda

“Later on Friday, when I saw my wife’s name on the Big Ticket’s Instagram page, I was totally surprised. It was late at night in India but I could not wait to break the good news to my wife,” he said.

She first thought it was a prank, but when the reality sunk in, she was on top of the world, he said.

Ms Gunda and other customers who bought the tickets during the promotion period still stand a chance to take home the Dh30m prize on December 3.

Although the couple have not decided how to spend the prize, Mr Gunda said they want to invest in their children’s education.

“That is the priority. We will soon have a family reunion in Dubai to celebrate the win,” he said.

Abu Dhabi Big Ticket: lottery winners tell how jackpot changed their lives — in pictures

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  UAE residents who struck lucky with Abu Dhabi's Big Ticket draw attended a gala dinner. Organisers of the draw celebrated the winners' good luck at the Alexandra Dhow Cruise in Dubai Marina. All photos by Leslie Pableo / The National

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  Richard Isaac and Bouchra Yamani, the two presenters who pick out the raffle tickets and call the winners, interacted with the winners. Some of attendees had won jackpots of between Dh1 million to Dh15 million, while others won Dh90,000

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  'The National' spoke to winners about how they have spent their grand prize. Shivamurthy Gali Krishnappa won Dh12 million last month. He said he wants to save for his children's future. For now, he is still working as a mechanical engineer for a stainless steel production company

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  Shahed Ahmed Moulvifaiz, a Bangladeshi car garage owner in Al Ain, won Dh10 million less than a week ago. He wants to bring his family to the UAE, expand his business and spend on his youngest son's education

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  Jayaprakash Mariyan Philip had won the Dh1 million prize with nine other people. The funds were split equally, leaving him with Dh100,000. He said he has paid off part of his bank loans

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  Zaheenn Kausar was visiting her husband in Abu Dhabi from Pakistan, when he bought a ticket under her name. She proved lucky for her family after winning Dh90,000. She wants to pay for her daughter's university tuition and buy a car for herself

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  Before the Covid-19 pandemic, more than 5,000 people would gather during a live event in Abu Dhabi to watch the draw take place. Since 2020, the draw streams live on social media channels, bringing in even larger crowds

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  Many people buy multiple tickets together and then split the prize equally. There are also those who win after buying a ticket alone, allowing them to keep the entire jackpot

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  The Abu Dhabi Big Draw has been changing lives since 1992

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  The ticket for the grand prize costs Dh500