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Indian High School principal in Ajman wins $1 million in Dubai Duty Free draw

Grateful for the windfall, she says she will put money to good use

Indian High School principal in Ajman wins $1 million in Dubai Duty Free draw

Grateful for the windfall, she says she will put money to good use

Malathi Das won a million dollars on July 15, after the draw held in Terminal 2 of Dubai International Airport.

In a telephone interview with Gulf News, Das said she was grateful for the win. “In current times, this is a great blessing. Rest assured, the money will be put to good use.”

In a humble response to her mega win, Das said: “One must keep only what is needed. The rest must be shared with those in need.”

Das said she was waiting to head home to India where she would like to help some of her relatives in need of money. She also said she would like to set aside some money for the school in Ajman where she is currently the principal.

She said she bought her winning ticket online on June 26.

A longtime resident of Ajman and a regular participant in DDF promotions for 32 years now, Das reiterated how blessed she felt with the win.

“From the bottom of my heart, a very big thank you to DDF. I will continue to buy tickets online or every time I travel,” she said.

According to the organisers of DDF, Das is the 165th Indian national to win million dollars since the promotions began in 1999. DDF also said Indian nationals make up the highest number of DDF Millennium Millionaire ticket buyers.

Das said it was a double celebration for her as her students came out with flying colours in the CBSC exams. “I am so grateful for all the news.”

Other winners

Following the Millennium Millionaire draw, two other winners were announced in the DDF promotions.

Hirohito Ohtsuka, a 29-year-old Japanese national based in Moscow, won a Mercedes Benz S560 (Diamond White) with ticket number 0902 in Series 1755, which he had bought online in June.

Originally from Tokyo, Ohtsuka moved to Russia in January to work for an energy company in Moscow.

Indian expatriate from Sharjah, Krunal Mithani, 34, won an Aprilla Dorsoduro 900 (Exciting Dark) motorbike in Series 414 with ticket number 0807.

A resident of Sharjah for eight years now, Mithani works as an IT Manager for a shipping company in Dubai.

The draw on Wednesday, July 15, was conducted following social distancing, by Dubai Duty Free’s executive vice-chairman and CEO, Colm McLoughlin, chief operating officer, Ramesh Cidambi, and Salah Tahlak, executive vice-president, Corporate Services.