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An Indian resident in the UAE turned three cherished family dates into a fortune of AED 30 million, winning the grand prize in the UAE Lottery's "Lucky Day" draw in an extraordinary story that began with a modest prize of AED 100 and ended with a life-changing jackpot. The UAE Lottery administration announced on Monday that Sunil Kumar Sadasivan, a 52-year-old Indian resident, won the grand prize of AED 30 million.

Sunil, a maintenance technician, won after choosing numbers linked to three important dates: his birthday, his wife's birthday, and his daughter's birthday.

After winning, Sunil said: 'I thought, why not use the dates that hold a special place in my heart? I started with my daughter's birthday, then added my birthday, then my wife's birthday.'

Meet Sunil Kumar Sadasivan, The UAE Lottery’s newest AED 30,000,000 Grand Prize winner.🎉

The 52-year-old maintenance technician from India chose numbers inspired by the birthdays of the three people closest to his heart: his daughter, his wife, and himself. ✨

“I want to… pic.twitter.com/o1PUSZbFcK

— The UAE Lottery (@theuaelottery) July 13, 2026

He said: 'I want to improve and complete my home in my home country. There are some people who do not have homes, and I would like to build homes for them as well,' according to the UAE Lottery on X.

Initially, Sunil and a friend bought their first ticket on Wednesday and won a modest AED 100 the previous week; encouraged, they tried again, and the second ticket changed everything.

The unexpected moment

Sunil Kumar discovered his win while relaxing in his room after his shift. 'I checked my phone around 9:45 PM after the draw. I was only expecting a small prize. When I saw the winning numbers, I was in shock.'

He couldn't believe what he saw, so he rushed to show his friend the ticket. Once he realized the win, he first called his wife. For him, the win goes far beyond just money; it's about creating happy moments for the family he worked hard to support. Reflecting on the simple and meaningful way he hopes to celebrate with his family, he said: 'Once I get the money, I will buy a gift for my daughter.'

After winning, Sunil Kumar now plans to complete building his family home, stop working, and return to his home country. 'I have worked since I was young, now I will rest a bit.'

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