Two Indian expats living in Dubai have each walked away with $1 million from the latest Dubai Duty Free Millennium Millionaire draw. Rohan Prakash Fernandes and Suresh PS were announced as the big winners at the August 26 draw, held at Concourse A of Dubai International Airport.
Alongside the two million-dollar prizes, the companion Finest Surprise draw produced winners of a BMW, two Mercedes-Benz models and a Ducati motorcycle — a good night for Dubai’s expat community by any measure.
Rohan Fernandes Wins $1 Million With Ticket 1710
Rohan Prakash Fernandes is a 38-year-old engineer from Karnataka who has been living and working in Dubai for 15 years. His winning ticket — number 1710 in Millennium Millionaire Series 554 — was purchased online on July 31, and the number itself has a good story behind it.
Fernandes noticed the combination on a car numberplate while browsing ticket options online. Something about it felt right, so he went with it. That instinct has now won him a million dollars.
He’s been entering the Dubai Duty Free promotion for a decade, which means he’s watched plenty of draws come and go without his number coming up. This time it did — and he already knows what he wants to do with the money. Part of it will go toward his child’s education, part toward investments, and a portion will be donated to charity.
Suresh PS Shares Ticket With Nine Friends
The second $1 million prize went to Suresh PS, a 36-year-old HSE coordinator from Kerala who has lived in Dubai for seven years. His winning ticket — number 2122 in Millennium Millionaire Series 555 — was purchased online on August 12.
What makes Suresh’s win particularly enjoyable is the backstory. He didn’t buy the ticket alone. Ten Indian friends — Suresh and nine others — have been buying tickets together for the past seven years as a group. The win belongs to all of them.
Suresh’s most immediate plan is clear: he wants to buy a house in Kerala. For a father of one who has been building a life in Dubai, it’s a very grounded ambition for a million-dollar windfall.
Indian Million-Dollar Winners Reach 282
With Fernandes and Suresh claiming the top prize, the total number of Indian nationals who have won $1 million through the Millennium Millionaire promotion now stands at 282 since the programme began in 1999. The two are officially the 281st and 282nd Indian winners of the prize.
Indian nationals continue to represent the single largest group of ticket purchasers in the promotion — a statistic that’s been consistent for years and shows no sign of changing.
The August 26 draw was conducted by Dubai Duty Free Managing Director Ramesh Cidambi alongside senior company officials at Concourse A.
Amit Saraf Wins BMW After Becoming Six-Time Winner
The Finest Surprise draw produced its own memorable moments. Amit Saraf, a 52-year-old Indian national, won a BMW 760i xDrive M Gran Lusso in mineral white metallic with ticket number 1914 in Finest Surprise Series 1959 — purchased as part of a batch of 19 tickets on August 12.
The BMW makes Saraf a six-time Dubai Duty Free winner, and his prize history is remarkable. Two $1 million wins — one in January 2021, one in October 2024 — sit alongside a Mercedes-Benz S500 won in February 2023, a Mercedes-Benz G 500 in September 2025 and a Dh40,000 Dubai Duty Free gift card in December 2023. The BMW is number six.
At some point, luck and frequency of participation start to blur together. Saraf has clearly leaned into both.
Sharjah Resident Wins Mercedes-Benz G 500
Karnaiah Mandolla, a 48-year-old Indian national living in Sharjah, took home a Mercedes-Benz G 500 Station Wagon in manufaktur classic grey. His winning ticket — number 1665 in Finest Surprise Series 1961 — was purchased at Terminal 3 Arrivals on August 16.
This isn’t Mandolla’s first major win either. He previously won $1 million in October 2023 in Millennium Millionaire Series 437 with ticket number 4576. The G 500 now sits alongside that earlier prize as part of a growing list of Dubai Duty Free success stories.
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Belgian Expat Wins Ducati Motorcycle
Not all the night’s winners were Indian nationals. David Kingen, a 55-year-old Belgian who works for the Belgian government and lives in Bullingen, won a Ducati Panigale V2S in yellow with ticket number 0071, purchased online on August 5.
Kingen is now a three-time motorcycle winner in the Dubai Duty Free promotion — an unusual and fairly specific record. His earlier prizes were a BMW R Nine T Racer in August 2019 and a BMW R Nine T Urban in November 2017. He has been entering consistently since that first win, and the pattern keeps producing results.
Latest Dubai Duty Free Winners Collect Major Prizes
The August 26 draw brought together two $1 million prizes, three luxury vehicles and a high-performance motorcycle — a strong night by any standard.
What stands out beyond the individual stories is the consistency with which Indian participants feature in these results. Two more million-dollar winners, a six-time prize collector and a previous millionaire taking home a luxury car — all in one draw. With 282 Indian $1 million winners now on the books since 1999, the promotion has become part of the fabric of Indian expat life in Dubai in a way that few loyalty or lottery programmes elsewhere can match.