A staggering jackpot of ₹240! Who is Anilkumar Bolla? Meet UAE Lottery Winner, Indian Engineer – What He Plans To Do With The Prize | Today’s news
An Indian expatriate who won 100 million dirhams (approx ₹240 crore) in the UAE lottery spoke about how the windfall changed his life a year after winning.
Anilkumar Bolla, a 29-year-old tech professional based in Abu Dhabi, won the jackpot in October 2025. Since then, he has bought properties in India and the UAE, bought cars for himself and his brother, gifted gold jewelery to his mother and acquired farmland for his father.
Bolla, who hails from Telangana, reflected on the past year and said the biggest change was the opportunity to spend more time with his family.
Who is Anilkumar Bolla? How his life changed after winning ₹240 million crowns
Bolla won what was described as the biggest lottery prize ever awarded in the UAE when he won the 100 million dirham jackpot in October 2025.
Speaking about the year since his win, he said spending time with his family has become a priority.
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“The most important thing is that I spend quality time with my family,” he told Khaleej Times.
He described the experience as “transformational” and added: “Winning the lottery changed my life and my ambitions.”
Money also allowed him to enjoy material comforts. Over the past year, Bolla has bought an iPhone 17 Air and four to five high-end watches. But he said helping his family was among the most meaningful outcomes of his lottery win.
One of his first purchases was gold jewelry for his mother.
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“It was her dream to have some ornaments, so I put it all together and gifted it to her,” he said, according to Gulf News. The gift brought tears to her eyes.
Why Anilkumar Bolla’s family still lives in the same house in India
Bolla comes from a farming family in Telangana. Although he has bought properties in India and the United Arab Emirates since winning the jackpot, his family continues to live in the same house they occupied before his ₹240 million in lottery winnings.
Bolla describes the house as his father’s dream home.
However, he gifted his father with farmland where he can pursue his interest in organic farming.
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“My happiness is always connected to my family,” he said. “Whatever I’ve done for them, those things are really special to me and those are the things that make me the happiest, more than what I do for myself.”
UAE lottery winner explores real estate investment and business opportunities
A year after his win, Bolla says the excitement he initially felt about traveling has worn off.
During the last 12 months he traveled to several destinations and enjoyed new experiences with his family. Places he visited included Bali, Thailand and Amsterdam.
“Somehow the excitement has worn off, but I’m really grateful for the opportunities I’m getting and the things I’m doing,” he said.
With many wishes fulfilled, Bolla began researching potential business ideas and long-term financial planning.
His investments include properties near Abu Dhabi Airport and in Dubai Marina.
Asked what advice he would offer to other lottery winners, the Indian engineer said: “Welcome to the millionaires club. Stay humble, manage your money well and spend it wisely and with discipline.”
