A Sharjah resident who won Dh5 million on the UAE Lottery plans to apply for a Golden Visa after travelling the world with his wife.
Kishore Pandurang Rao, an Indian who has lived in the UAE for three decades, found out he had won the prize in the October 3 draw, only days before his 60th birthday. Mr Rao said he was shocked when he realised that he had won.
"I was sitting quietly and scrolling online when I received an email from The UAE Lottery. Initially I thought it was a routine verification email," he said.
"I was stunned. For some time, I just sat there without knowing what to say or do."
Mr Rao said his plan was to focus first on his family.
"I would like to support my elder son as he explores starting his own business and support my younger son with his higher education," he said.
"I also want to bring my family together in the UAE after we have spent periods living apart. My wife and I are thinking about buying a home and cars, both here and in India.
"I also want to keep our family home in India, which is very important to me because it is where I grew up. These are all plans, though, and I want to do them one at a time."
Dh5 million prize
When most people think of the lottery they have a dream purchase lined up to treat themselves to something that would otherwise have been out of reach. Mr Rao is lining up something a little different.
"I didn’t think of a watch or a luxury item. One of my long-term wishes has been to explore the possibility of getting a UAE Golden Visa," he said.
"After spending around 30 years in the country, the UAE means a great deal to me, so that is something I would really like to look into. I am also considering buying a new car and eventually a home, but I haven't made those decisions yet."
Mr Rao said he was determined not to make rash choices about how to spend his winnings.
"It will change some of the choices available to me, but I don't want to make every decision immediately just because I have won," he said.
"I have just turned 60 after spending around three decades working in the UAE, so I see this as a new stage of my life. I want to spend more time with my wife and children, support their plans, travel with my wife and enjoy experiences together that we haven't had much time for before.
"For me, the biggest change is really about what comes next and how we choose to spend that time together."