Sharjah-based Indian housewife wins a million dollars in Dubai Duty Free draw

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

An Indian housewife based in Sharjah was announced as the latest US$1 million winner in the Dubai Duty Free Millennium Millionaire at the draw held on Wednesday in Concourse B at Dubai International Airport.

Mrs. Sugandhi Mahesh Pillay, a 40-year-old Indian national based in Sharjah, became the latest US$1 million winner in Millennium Millionaire Series 369 with ticket number 1750, which her husband purchased under her name on 1st September at The Irish Village in Garhoud.

Mrs. Pillay’s husband, Mahesh, bought the winning ticket under her name and split the ticket cost with his 10 Indian, 1 Lebanese and 1 Filipino colleagues from Rais Hassan Saadi, a shipping and freight company in Dubai.

Mahesh, along with his colleagues, has been participating in the promotion for around 15 years now, alternating the name on the ticket for each series they purchase, but he decided to put it under his wife’s name when it was his turn to buy the ticket.

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Commenting on her win she said, “I’m very happy, we are very happy! Thank you so much Dubai Duty Free. I highly recommend for other people to participate in your amazing promotion.”

Mrs. Pillay, who hails from Mumbai in India, is the 183rd Indian national to have won US$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.

The Millennium Millionaire draw was conducted by Dubai Duty Free's Executive Vice Chairman & CEO, Colm McLoughlin, COO Ramesh Cidambi, Sinead El Sibai, SVP – Marketing, Mona Al Ali, SVP – Human Resources and Sharon Beecham, SVP – Purchasing.

Following the Millennium Millionaire draw, a presentation to the previous winner of US$1 million in Series 368 took place.

Pakistani national wins Harley-Davidson motorbike

Reza Dole, who won US$1 million in Millennium Millionaire Series 368 with ticket number 4548, is the eighth Australian national to have won US$1 million since the start of the Millennium Millionaire promotion. He is also a second time winner with Dubai Duty Free as he had previously won a Bentley Continental GT (Camel Linen) car, with Finest Surprise ticket number 1580 in Series no. 1730 in September 2019.

He was delighted with his warm welcome by the Dubai Duty Free team at the presentation.

Upon receiving his ceremonial cheque, he commented, “I have been working in Dubai for many years and I never thought that I would win this big one day. Thank you Dubai Duty Free.”

Following the presentation, the Finest Surprise draw was conducted for three luxury vehicles.

Jonathan Hurlock, a 35-year-old British national based in Amsterdam, Netherlands won a Mercedes Benz GLE 53 4M AMG (Iridium Silver) car, with ticket number 0172 in Finest Surprise Series 1783, which he purchased on 4th September when he travelled back to Amsterdam from Dubai.

Hurlock, a first-time ticket buyer, works as Group Product Manager for Booking.com and was delighted to win with his first ever ticket for the Dubai Duty Free promotion. He commented; “It’s a great experience, I would really recommend it! I feel very happy – one of my first tickets, so thank you so much Dubai Duty Free.”

Dhanasekar Balasundaram, a 49-year-old Indian national based in Abu Dhabi, won a Harley-Davidson Sportster Forty-Eight XL 1200X (Vivid Black) motorbike, with ticket number 0146 in Finest Surprise Series 469, which he purchased online on 2nd September.

Surprisingly, Balasundaram is a second-time motorbike winner with Dubai Duty Free as he previously won a BMW F 850 GS Adventure (Kalamta Metallic Matt) motorbike, with ticket number 0238 in Finest Surprise Series 467 on 8th September.  So, two motorbike wins in two weeks!

A resident of Abu Dhabi since 2003, Balasundaram had only just collected his previous winning motorbike on Monday this week. He was understandably surprised to find out that he won again.

“Thank you Dubai Duty Free for giving me the opportunity to win for the second time. The limited number of tickets to your amazing draw has given people like me a higher chance to win.” he said.

Balasundaram started buying tickets to Dubai Duty Free Finest Surprise promotion to win a motorbike this year when he got his motorbike licence in February.

Lastly, Llewellyn Dsouza, a Pakistani national, won a Harley-Davidson Softail Standard FXST (Vivid black) motorbike, with ticket number 0145 in Finest Surprise Series 470, which he purchased online on 13th September.

Dsouza is currently uncontactable but will surely be surprised to hear of his win.