This is a perfect example of favourable luck and how it can turn things upside down. A 43-year-old driver from Kerala won USD 272,260 (Rs 2,06,13,485) in a mall raffle draw contest, according to a media report on Saturday.
Speaking to Khaleej Times, Abdul Salam Shanavas, who hails from Thiruvananthapuram, said, “Even if I had worked for 50 years, I wouldn’t have earned anything close to this amount. I arrived here in 1997 empty-handed, but with a lot of expectations. I took my driver’s licence and started off as a driver in Sharjah but couldn’t save much. I then moved to Abu Dhabi as a family driver and now earn USD 650 (Rs 49,200).”
Shanavas won the prize through the Mall Millionaire campaign which is part of the 47-day Retail Abu Dhabi summer sales by the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi. He spent about USD 54 for entering the draw.
