What began as a string of taps on his phone – his eyes wide shut – turned into a life-changing moment for retired Indian engineer Sriram Rajagopalan.
The Chennai-resident bagged one of the largest lottery prizes ever claimed by an Indian, bagging ₹225 crore (approx. $27 million, Dh100 million) in the Emirates Draw MEGA7 game, the lottery operator announced on Thursday night.
Sriram, who returned to India after working in Saudi Arabia for over two decades, hadn’t entered a draw in a while but decided to try his luck again.
According to the company, Sriram matched the winning numbers on March 16. According to a press statement by Emirates Draw, Sriram tapped “random numbers on his phone using a stylus with his eyes closed.”
“When I saw the results, I couldn’t believe it. I replayed the draw video and even took a screenshot of the winning numbers,” he said in a statement, as quoted by Khaleej Times.
The 2023 retiree described the moment as “70 per cent happiness, 30 per cent fear,” acknowledging the sheer magnitude of the ₹225 crore windfall. “It’s a huge amount. I’ve never managed anything like this before,” he said. “But this win isn’t just for me; it’s a hope for my family, my children, and everyone reading. Every father dreams of securing their children’s future – and now I can. This is a chance to build generational wealth.”
Sriram was raised in a humble, middle-class household in Chennai before moving to Saudi Arabia in 1998, where he worked and raised two sons with his wife. After retiring in 2023, he returned to his hometown to settle into a quieter life – until this extraordinary twist of fate.
While he hasn’t revealed specific plans for the money, Sriram has already stated that a portion of his winnings will go to charity. “I have bigger choices to make now compared to when I was a regular employee. So yes, it might change my life but not who I am,” according to Khaleej Times.
The Emirates Draw, operated by Tycheros, had paused its UAE operations at the end of 2023 following new regulations introduced by the UAE’s Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority (GCGRA). After failing to secure the country’s national lottery licence – now held by The Game LLC, operator of The UAE Lottery – the company shifted focus to global markets.