The key facts
- Kishore Pandurang Rao won Dh5m in the October 3 draw, learning of the win by email
- The prize came days before his 60th birthday; he has lived in the UAE for about 30 years
- His plans include supporting his sons, buying a home and cars, travelling, and a Golden Visa
A 5 million dirham win
Sharjah resident Kishore Pandurang Rao, an Indian national, has won 5 million dirhams in the UAE Lottery. He learned of his win in the October 3 draw just days before his 60th birthday. According to Rao, the notification arrived by email, and at first he took it for an ordinary verification message: 'I was stunned. For a while I just sat there, not knowing what to say or do.' The National reported this.
Plans for the prize
Rao, who has lived in the UAE for about three decades, said that his first priority is to support his family: to help his elder son start his own business and pay for his younger son's higher education. He also wants to reunite the family in the Emirates after periods of living apart, buy a house and cars in both the UAE and India, and keep the family home in India where he grew up. He stressed, however, that these are only plans that he will carry out gradually.
Golden Visa instead of luxury
In an unexpected twist, the winner turned away from the typical 'dream of a luxury purchase.' 'I did not think about a watch or a luxury item. One of my long-standing wishes was to explore the possibility of obtaining a UAE Golden Visa,' The National quoted him as saying. Rao is also considering buying a new car and, in time, a home, but has not made any final decisions. He added that he does not intend to make hasty decisions because of the win and sees it as a new stage in life after roughly three decades of working in the country.
Context and significance
Rao's win fits into a series of major UAE Lottery prizes previously covered by The National: in August it reported the victory of Filipina Zenn Arian Garcez, who won 5 million dirhams, and in July — an Abu Dhabi resident who won 30 million dirhams and called plans for his daughter his 'biggest dream.' For many expats in the UAE, such stories are telling: a big win here is often linked not only to purchases but also to long-term plans, including obtaining a Golden Visa — something Rao's own intention confirms. In practical terms, this means the winner will be able to fund his children's education and his elder son's business, but all the announced steps remain plans rather than completed deals.
