Telangana farmer Vilas Rikkala has won UAE's Big Ticket Draw and has bagged Rs 28,45,17,877. Rikkala will soon go to Dubai to collect the money.
Nizamabad: A Telangana farmer Vilas Rikkala went to Dubai in search of a job since he incurred loss due to drought in his village in Nizamabad. He met his lady luck there and eventually won Rs 29 crore through UAE lottery.
Rikkala worked as a driver and coolie. He returned to his village in Nizambad as his visa had expired. Before heading back, he pooled in some money and asked his friend to buy him a ticket of Rs 20,000 for the UAE's Big Ticket Draw. It is reported that the money he gave to his friend to buy the ticket was borrowed from his wife.
Inspired by the news of a man from Kerala winning lottery, he bought the ticket. The Kerala man had also pooled in money and bought a ticket for Rs 20,000.
On Saturday, Rikkala got a call from one of his friends and news broke out that he had won Rs 29 crore UAE lottery. The prize money is 15 million dirham (Rs 28,45,17,877).
The farmer said to media that he would use the money to educate his daughters, who are 16 and 13 years old. He added, "Let my children learn till they want to and let them decide what they wish to study."
Rikkala will be travelling abroad again to collect his lottery amount soon. He said that his wife Padma is the real winner as she was the one who lent Rs 20,000 to buy the tickets.
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