‘I was shaking’: Kerala expat wins Rs 45 crore in Abu Dhabi Big Ticket draw

Posted on by Taiwo Adebulu

2 min readJun 4, 2026 08:07 PM IST

A Bahrain-based businessman from Kerala has won Dh20 million (around Rs 45 crore) in Big Ticket Abu Dhabi’s latest live draw, saying his immediate priority is helping a friend who has been in a coma following an accident.

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Krishnakumar Syamala Ravindran, 43, claimed the grand prize in Big Ticket Abu Dhabi’s June 3, draw, according to Khaleej Times. Originally from Kerala, Ravindran has been living in Bahrain for the past 23 years, where he runs a business. His family continues to live in India.

The winning ticket number 339729 was purchased on May 28, just six days before the draw. Ravindran said he has been participating in the raffle for the past seven years.

Big Ticket Abu Dhabi is among the Gulf’s most popular raffle draws and frequently attracts Indian participants, particularly expatriates from Kerala and other southern states.

Missed winning call

Ravindran’s phone was switched off during the live broadcast, and Big Ticket hosts Bouchra and Richard were initially unable to contact him. The organisers later managed to reach him.

“I was in complete shock. I was literally shaking and still find it hard to believe,” Ravindran told Khaleej Times.

He also encouraged others participating in such draws to remain optimistic and continue trying.

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Friend in coma

Ravindran said he plans to use part of the prize money to help a close friend who has reportedly been in a coma after an accident in Bahrain.

“He’s all I’m thinking about right now,” he told Khaleej Times, adding that he wants to bring his friend back to India and ensure he receives proper treatment.

Other Indian winners

The June 3 draw (Series 287) also saw several Indians win consolation prizes:

  • Dh1 million: Kishoresh Rout (Dubai) – Ticket No. 307886
  • Dh500,000: Jinoy Kumar (Sharjah) – Ticket No. 241815
  • Dh250,000: Sharad Kumar Singh (Dubai) – Ticket No. 289717
  • Dh100,000: Parbhuram Yadav (Sharjah) – Ticket No. 383380
  • Dh100,000: Prkasan (Saudi Arabia) – Ticket No. 052606

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