An Indian IT worker in Abu Dhabi who hit the jackpot to become the UAE's first Dh100 million lottery winner said he is not ready to give up the day job just yet.
Anilkumar Bolla, 29, wants to "take a breath" to consider his options after making headlines thanks to his life-changing success in the October 18 UAE Lottery draw.
Mr Bolla, who is from the southern Indian state of Telangana, plans to invest in his and his family's future and vowed to use his good fortune to help those in need.
"I was in shock for multiple days after I found out. In the short term, I just want to take a breath, have a good sleep, and celebrate this moment," he told The National.
"I don’t plan to leave my job right away. I want to invest this amount and spend it in the right way. I feel like I now have money, so I need to work on my thoughts and do something big, something meaningful for the future."
While he is keen to spend his windfall wisely, Mr Bolla does have his sights set on splashing the cash on a sports car and a luxurious holiday.
"I have a dream to buy a supercar, and for sure, I want to fulfil my dream first. I also want to celebrate this moment in a great resort or 7-star hotel and just enjoy this vibe for some time.
"Then I need to start planning this investment. I haven’t decided yet what supercar I want."
Building a business
Mr Bolla is eager to make the most of his newfound wealth, by looking to the stock market and opening his own business.
"I want to start investing in the stock exchange market and look into real estate.
"My colleague and I have been talking for a long time about starting our own IT consultancy, we’re both from the same field and very like-minded people. Now I finally have the chance to make that happen.
Helping others
"I also plan to donate part of this money to charity, because it came as part of luck and belief. I believe donations will reach the people who really require the money, and that gives me happiness."
The lottery winner is looking forward to sharing his good news with family members in person and making his parents dreams come true.
"My mum and dad’s eyes will fill with happy tears, and I’ll get a very big hug from them. My parents had very small dreams, and I want to fulfil all those dreams for them and take care of them.
"I’ll also move my family, my mom, dad, and brother, from India to the UAE, so we can all stay together. This will be the first time they come to the UAE, and I’m sure they’ll be extremely happy to see where I live and work."
Striking it lucky
Mr Bolla, who has lived in the Emirates for about 18 months, has been an avid player of the UAE Lottery since it launched in December last year.
"I started with scratch cards, and then I played continuously with Lucky Day. I won very small amounts with scratch cards, but not with Lucky Day.
"Usually, I go for the Easy Pick option, and for the “Months set,” I chose the month of my mother’s birthday. I haven’t done any magic or anything, I just kept trying my luck.
"For every draw, I had a feeling that I would win something, but I didn’t expect to win such a large amount. I believe that if you keep playing responsibly and believe in your luck, one day it will definitely come to you."
