But a routine workday turned out to be a life-changing moment in a way for 26-year-old Melvin Francis when he got a phone call from the Emirates Draw lottery company telling him he had won $4 million (about ₹33.5 crore) in the Emirates Draw lottery. The Kerala-born, Bengaluru-educated accountant has now been named the youngest person to ever win the Emirates Draw Grand Prize and the first person to win all the prizes in the Emirates Draw Grand Prize in a single draw.
Melvin was on August 26 when he received the life-changing call. With a colleague he was working with when Emirates Draw officials called saying he hit the jackpot. Surprisingly, Melvin remained calm and composed, not so much celebrating as he accepted the news.
Melvin had purchased 11 EASY6 tickets on August 21, 2026, and five of them won prizes. In an extremely rare feat, he became the first person in Emirates Draw history to win all the prize tiers and win the Grand Prize at the same time. The prize has attracted attention not only because of the large jackpot but also because it is very difficult to win two prize categories at the same time.
But Melvin’s win also made him the youngest among the nine winners who have won Emirates Draw's $4 million Grand Prize. He was the first person to win, and many of those who have also won want to go through hard work and success.
Melvin is from Kerala, but he finished his higher education in Bengaluru. Looking back on his education, he said he wasn’t really that interested in science but had always liked working with numbers. This passion led him to pursue accounting studies in Karnataka’s capital city. Since he was working and studying simultaneously, he took a little longer to complete the degree.
His disciplined lifestyle has not changed once he reached the status of a multi-millionaire. Melvin recalls giving his first salary to his dad and keeping only what he needed. Today he is very much involved in the business of his family in a GCC country and continuing his professional and academic studies. He has already completed the US CMA qualification and is now doing an online MBA.
Melvin attributes much of his outlook on life to his mother’s advice. She often encouraged him to work hard, save money until the age of 30, and then enjoy financial freedom. Melvin joked when he won a jackpot that he may not have to wait until 30 to achieve that goal.
He pressed the same button you do. Five of 11 tickets won! 💚 There’s more to Melvin’s story. Watch now. 👀 #EmiratesDraw #GrandPrizeWinner #India #EDEASY6 https://t.co/Zvla8IvZgj
— Emirates Draw (@emiratesdraw) October 8, 2026
Melvin did learn about Emirates Draw from Instagram. He had read about winners of the game and heard of those who had won millions of dollars. When he bought his first ticket on June 14, 2026, shortly after his birthday, he won only $14. Inspired by this, he studied Emirates Draw games and found EASY6 after spending a few minutes on the ticket costs and winning probabilities.
Melvin used the platform's randomiser feature to choose his numbers. He did this repeatedly until he came up with sets of numbers he liked, and he participated in them over weekends for almost two months. His persistence finally paid off in spectacular fashion.
The prize money was not immediately paid. His account showed a smaller amount, and only after extensive verification and security checks was the entire $4 million jackpot released. Melvin liked the verification process because it reassured him that Emirates Draw cares to protect the safety and security of its winners.
The first people he told the news to were his father and his sister. His father wanted to verify each ticket by himself, but then his sister had another idea and told him to check the numbers to make sure the most amazing news was real. Their cautious response was a sign of the disbelief that accompanies such life-changing events.
Melvin has no intention to quit working despite winning more than ₹33 crore. He still attends his job, does his MBA, and is studying for the US CPA qualification. He will use a portion of the prize money to expand his family business and allow his father to retire earlier. He also plans to invest wisely, support his siblings’ future needs, travel around the world, and visit relatives in the US.
Though his bank balance has changed drastically, Melvin says his daily routine remains the same. He wakes up every day at 6:30 and eats lunch with his father, proving that even after a ₹33 crore windfall, discipline and family are the top priorities for him.
