Indian from Kerala, German from Kiel win $1 million each in latest Dubai Duty Free promotions

Dubai: Dubai Duty Free on Wednesday announced the winners of its latest Millennium Millionaire and Finest Surprise promotions, where a Keralite from India and a German from Kiel each won $1 million, while an Emirati father bagged his third luxury car.

The announcement coincided with Dubai Duty Free’s celebration of the Chinese New Year in the presence of Dubai Duty Free Managing Director Ramesh Cidambi and Chinese Consul General Ou Boqian.

The first winner announced on Wednesday, Zaheersultha Asafali, a 38-year-old Keralite from India, won $1 million. A father of one and owner of an optical and retail shop in Kerala, Asafali has been participating in Dubai Duty Free’s promotions for just 2-3 months. He said: “I never thought I would win. This will definitely help me a lot, and I’m very grateful for this.”

Asafali is the 245th Indian national to win $1 million in the Millennium Millionaire promotion since its inception in 1999.

Joining him as a fellow millionaire is 61-year-old German national Nicholas Bauersfeld from Kiel, Germany. A regular participant for five years, Bauersfeld, who is self-employed, plans to invest his winnings. “What great news to receive today,” he said. Bauersfeld is the 11th German to win $1 million in the promotion.
Emirati wins third luxury car
The Finest Surprise draw unveiled Ahmed Al Blooshi, a 55-year-old Emirati from Abu Dhabi, as the winner of a Mercedes Benz S500. Al Blooshi, a government employee and father of three, is no stranger to the Dubai Duty Free promotions, having previously won a Mercedes Benz S500 in 2009 and a Jaguar XK 5.0 Coupe in 2011. “Wow, it’s my third car with Dubai Duty Free. Thank you so much to all the people behind this amazing promotion,” Al Blooshi said.

Other luxury vehicle winners
Other winners included Robert Moloney, a 44-year-old British engineer based in Kazakhstan, who won an Aprilia RSV4 1100 motorbike. Moloney, a participant for eight years, said: “This is fantastic indeed.”

Another winner, Sujith Panakkal, a 38-year-old Indian designer based in Dubai, won a BMW F 900 GS motorbike. A UAE resident for 18 years and a regular participant for 15 years, Panakkal said: “This is unbelievable. Finally, I win with Dubai Duty Free.”

Chinese New Year celebration
DDF celebrated the Chinese New Year by marking the ‘Year of the Wood Snake’ at Terminal 3, Concourse B, of Dubai International Airport. The event featured a traditional Seal Ceremony, ribbon cutting, and speeches from officials. Senior DDF executives and invited guests from the Chinese Consulate joined the festivities and the draws.