In an extraordinary moment of luck, Shanthanu Shettigar, from Mattu village of Kaup taluk, Udupi, has won an astonishing 20 million dirhams (₹49 crore) prize in the Abu Dhabi Big Ticket international lottery draw. The winning ticket purchased with a friend brought Shanthanu into spotlight as one of the most recent jackpot winners in the UAE’s most popular lottery.
Shanthanu has spent the last seven years working in retail sales in Oman; he supports his family and looks to continue building his career abroad. His triumph is being hailed as a success for his family but one that draws on the Udupi community as a whole, a great tale of luck and sheer tenacity.
The Abu Dhabi Big Ticket is famous for generating millionaires around the world, and has drawn participants from a wide range of backgrounds. Shanthanu’s successful bid represents the addition to the growing list of Indians who have won gold in global lottery draws, an indication of the appeal of the contest itself.
At home in Udupi, the news is a source of joy and a source of pride: residents of Mattu village rejoice in Shanthanu’s achievement, whom they regard as a harbinger of hope and opportunity. His story is a universal one that many Indians overseas working today may relate to, as fate can change overnight.
