Soon after winning Dh100 million, , Chennai-based Sriram Rajagopalan wrote a letter. But it wasn’t about wealth, investments, or luxury plans. It was about gratitude, humility, and the joy of a mother’s smile.

“The moment I got your call, my world stopped,” he wrote to Emirates Draw. “My hands shook. My heart beat so fast, I thought time itself had frozen.”

The retired engineer, who returned to India in 2023 after decades of working in Saudi Arabia, had randomly tapped numbers on his phone using a stylus with his eyes closed.

When those numbers were drawn on March 16 in the MEGA7 game, he became an overnight multi-millionaire.

In his deeply emotional letter, Sriram said what the win truly meant to him: “My mother is 88 years old, and I have never seen her like this before. Her face, once tired from life’s struggles, now glows with happiness.”

Raised in a modest, middle-class household, Sriram spent years working abroad to support his family. The sacrifices were many, the dreams often postponed, until one life-changing moment.

In his letter, he added, “No more sleepless nights filled with worry. No more sacrificing dreams to survive.” He calls the jackpot a “chance to build generational wealth.” He plans to donate a portion of his winnings to charity.

“You haven’t just changed my life, you have given me a new one,” he concluded in the letter, signing off as ‘Dear Millionaire’; the name he was called during the unforgettable phone call.

Screengrab from Emirates Draw/Instagram

For Sriram, it was never about becoming rich. It was about seeing his mother smile, finally and freely, a moment he calls ‘worth more than all the money in the world.’

Here's a video of Sriram's letter to Emirates Draw:

Owned and operated by Tycheros, Emirates Draw at the end of 2023 following regulatory updates from the UAE's Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority (CGRA). The company subsequently shifted its focus to international markets.

Like Sriram, other lucky participants in previous draws have reflected on what the mega win means to them and what they plan to do with the big bounty.

Pakistani expat in October 2021 when he won Dh50 million in the Mahzooz draw. A former driver earning Dh6,000 a month, Junaid used the winnings to reunite his family in Dubai, invest in businesses back home, and fulfill lifelong dreams, from buying his dream car to securing a comfortable future for his ailing brother.

Meanwhile, Sharjah-based , who works as a salesperson, struck luck in December 2023 by winning Dh25 million in the Big Ticket draw through a free ticket. Sharing the prize with 20 friends, Aravind called it a dream come true and urged others to keep their hopes alive.

“I’ll pay off loans and save the rest,” he said earlier.