From an AED 100 million jackpot to an AED 5 million birthday surprise, cricket legend Brett Lee meets Anilkumar Bolla and Kishore Pandurang Rao as they reflect on unexpected fortunes, family priorities and new beginnings in the UAE.
Abu Dhabi, UAE: Cricket legend and The UAE Lottery’s Chief Celebrations Officer Brett Lee recently sat down with two of the lottery’s biggest winners, Anilkumar Bolla, who won AED 100 million, and Kishore Pandurang Rao, whose AED 5 million win came just five days before his 60th birthday.
The two conversations offered a glimpse into how life can change after an unexpected windfall, with both winners sharing their emotional reactions, personal journeys and plans for the future.
For Anilkumar, the meeting came a year after the phone call that changed his life. Looking back at the moment he discovered his AED 100 million win, he told Lee how he kept counting the zeros and repeatedly asked the lottery representative whether the amount was real. It took him more than a month to fully process the news.
A year later, his priorities have increasingly centred on family and long-term plans. Anilkumar revealed that construction will soon begin on a farmhouse on land he purchased for his parents, giving his father the opportunity to pursue his passion for organic farming. He has also explored AI start-ups in Abu Dhabi and an education start-up in India, alongside investments in properties in Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
Reflecting on the biggest change in his life, Anilkumar said spending quality time with his family had been the most rewarding part of the experience. Meeting Brett Lee in person was another memorable moment for him, describing it as something he had never imagined would happen.
The conversation ended with Lee inviting Anilkumar to recreate his famous ‘chainsaw’ celebration in honour of the AED 100 million win.
Kishore and Brett Lee
For Kishore Pandurang Rao, the AED 5 million win brought an equally unexpected turning point. The Mumbai-born expat discovered his fortune just five days before his 60th birthday, after initially overlooking an email notification from The UAE Lottery.
When he eventually checked his account, the figure on his screen left him stunned.
“I was surprised. I was stunned,” Kishore recalled, explaining that he kept the news to himself for three days before sharing it with his wife.
Having worked for 30 years and lived in the UAE since 1993, Kishore admitted that he had been preparing to leave the country for good. In fact, he had told his wife that October would be his last month in the UAE.
But the unexpected win changed his plans completely.
“October is always a new beginning for me,” he told Lee, revealing that he had now decided to stay in the UAE and bring his family over.
The meeting also revealed a lighter connection between the two. Lee greeted Kishore in Hindi, before discovering that they shared the same birth date number: Kishore was born on 8 October, while Lee celebrates his birthday on 8 November.
From Anilkumar’s plans for his parents and future investments to Kishore’s decision to remain in the UAE and reunite with his family, both winners highlighted how their fortunes have opened doors to new possibilities.
For Lee, celebrating these personal journeys is an important part of his role as The UAE Lottery’s Chief Celebrations Officer. And while the two winners experienced very different jackpot moments, their conversations reflected a common theme: beyond the money, a life-changing win can create opportunities to reconnect with loved ones, pursue long-held dreams and embrace a new beginning.
SOURCE: MEDIA RELEASE / SUPPLIED CONTENT WITH IMAGES
