Punjab man wins ₹1.5 million lottery a day after daughter Barkat's birth: 'We wanted a boy'

A baby girl born into a financially troubled family in Punjab turns out to be a source of unexpected wealth for her parents. Just a day after 24-year-old carpenter Yudhvir Singh welcomed his daughter, he won ₹1.5 million in the state lottery. The victory came after some relatives told him: ‘We wanted a boy’. Singh now credits his daughter with changing the family’s fortunes, naming her Barkat, which means prosperity.

Baby girl born the day before winning the lottery

According to a report in The Tribune, Singh, a resident of Bareta town in Mansa district of Punjab, won the first prize in the Punjab State 200 Dear Monthly lottery. His daughter was born on November 6, while the lottery results were announced on November 7.

After an unexpected surprise, the proud father chose the name Barkat, which means prosperity, for his daughter.

Singh bought the winning ticket on November 4 at a lottery booth in Budhlada. While shopping, he accompanied his pregnant wife Harman to Manse Hospital for a medical check-up.

The purchase of the lot was not planned

The carpenter had no intention of buying the lot that day. He stopped at a booth to get his cell phone number ported and decided to try his luck.

However, the decision did not suit his wife at first, especially given the family’s financial difficulties. The couple was already repaying the loan they had taken to build their two-room house and had to manage additional medical expenses before the birth of their first child.

Singh recalled Harman asking why he was spending money on a lottery ticket when they needed the funds for hospital bills. He also said that the private hospital refused to offer even a ₹5000 reduction in their bill.

For a family struggling to make ends meet, the lot was an unplanned purchase. Little did Singh know that it would eventually bring him a prize ₹1.5 million.

Father credits daughter for changing family fortunes

The lottery announcement, which came just a day after his daughter’s birth, made the win extra special for Singh. The celebrations also changed the view of some relatives on the arrival of the baby girl.

Singh believes that the birth of his daughter and winning the lottery are closely related and sees her arrival as a blessing for the family.

“I named her Barkat (prosperity). She brought happiness to our home. How else can we name her?” he said.

How does Singh plan to use the lottery money?

Despite the sudden change in the family’s financial situation, Singh said he had already decided where the money should go. His daughter’s education and future remain his highest priority.

“My daughter has changed my fortune. She has brought her own luck with her. I want to spend the money on her education and future so that she can stand on her own feet and get a good job,” he said.