An Indian photographer living in Ajman has won $1 million in the latest Dubai Duty Free Millennium Millionaire draw. Jijo Pulikkathodi, 41, took home the top prize with ticket number 4891.
Pulikkathodi bought the winning ticket online on August 22. What makes the win especially interesting is that he split the cost of the ticket with 17 Indian friends who had been taking part in the Dubai Duty Free promotion together.
The group had been in on the promotion for around three to four months before their ticket landed the major cash prize. Pulikkathodi said the money would help all of them and thanked Dubai Duty Free after the announcement.
Jijo Pulikkathodi Has Lived in Ajman for Four Years
Pulikkathodi is originally from Kerala and has been living in Ajman for the past four years. He works as a photographer in the emirate and is also a father of two.
His win came during the Dubai Duty Free Millennium Millionaire Series 556 draw, held at Concourse B of Dubai International Airport on September 9.
The draw was conducted by Dubai Duty Free Managing Director Ramesh Cidambi, along with members of the company’s executive and senior management teams.
283rd Indian to Win $1 Million
Pulikkathodi’s win adds to the long list of Indian nationals who have taken home the Dubai Duty Free Millennium Millionaire prize. He is the 283rd Indian national to win the $1 million prize since the promotion began back in 1999.
Indian nationals have consistently been among the biggest ticket buyers in the promotion, and this latest win once again highlights just how strong Indian community participation is in Dubai Duty Free’s major draws.
The promotion has drawn residents and travellers from different nationalities over the years, with prizes ranging from large cash awards to luxury vehicles.
Indian Resident Wins a Range Rover
The Millennium Millionaire draw was followed by the Dubai Duty Free Finest Surprise draws, which handed out luxury vehicles to other winners.
Yogesh Dhanak, a 53-year-old Indian national living in Sharjah, won a Range Rover SE P360 in Carpathian Grey. His winning ticket was number 1243 in Finest Surprise Series 1962.
Dhanak bought the ticket at Concourse B on August 19. Born and raised in Dubai, he has been taking part in the Dubai Duty Free promotion for around 15 years, picking up tickets whenever he travels.
The father of two works for a manufacturing company in Sharjah. This was his first prize through the promotion, and he thanked Dubai Duty Free after hearing the news.
Dubai Resident Wins BMW Motorbike
Eser Erol, a 35-year-old Turkish national living in Dubai, was another winner in the latest Finest Surprise draw. He walked away with a BMW F 900 GS motorcycle in Trophy White, Blue and Red.
Erol’s winning ticket was number 0978 in Finest Surprise Series 677. He bought the ticket at Concourse A on August 30.
Erol has lived in Dubai since 2024 and was on his third Dubai Duty Free entry when he won. A certified biker himself, he works as a regional sales manager for Bosch Middle East at DAFZA.
For Erol, the prize meant even more because it was his first win in a draw.
Also Read: Meet the Indian Expat in Sharjah Whose Artwork Has Become UAE Postage Stamps
Indian National Wins Second Motorbike
Melwin Pontes, another Indian national based in Dubai, also won a motorbike in the latest Finest Surprise draw. He took home an Aprilia Tuono V4 1100 in Shark Grey with ticket number 0505.
Pontes bought his winning entry online on September 1. This was not his first success with Dubai Duty Free either, having previously won another motorcycle through the same promotion.
Back in October 2025, Pontes won an Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1100 in black and red with ticket number 0650 in Finest Surprise Series 640. This latest win now marks his second motorbike prize from the promotion.
Dubai Duty Free Draw Brings Multiple Winners
The latest Dubai Duty Free draws produced winners from a range of nationalities and backgrounds. Alongside the $1 million cash prize, the event featured a Range Rover and two motorcycles.
The winners included an Ajman-based photographer from Kerala, a long-time Dubai-born participant living in Sharjah, a Turkish professional based in Dubai and another Indian resident who has now won two motorbikes.
These latest results show just how much Dubai Duty Free’s promotions continue to draw participation from residents across the UAE, once again putting the spotlight on the airport retailer’s long-running Millennium Millionaire and Finest Surprise series.