'No more sleepless nights': Indian techie Sriram wins ₹230 crore in UAE's biggest emirates draw jackpot

News Network

May 25, 2025

Chennai-based Sriram Rajagopalan, a retired engineer who returned to India in 2023 after decades of working in Saudi Arabia, has become the first-ever winner of the United Arab Emirates Dirham 100 million (approximately ₹230 crore) grand prize in Emirates Draw's MEGA7 game. This unprecedented win, announced on May 22, 2025, marks the largest individual payout in the platform's history .

Rajagopalan's victory came on March 16, 2025, when he randomly selected seven numbers on his phone using a stylus with his eyes closed. His numbers matched the draw, making him an overnight multi-millionaire. In an emotional letter to Emirates Draw, he expressed his gratitude:

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

Raised in a modest, middle-class household, Rajagopalan spent years working abroad to support his family. The sacrifices were many, and dreams often postponed, until this life-changing moment. He shared that his 88-year-old mother, once weary from life's struggles, now glows with happiness. He plans to donate a portion of his winnings to charity and views the jackpot as a chance to build generational wealth.

Emirates Draw, operated by Tycheros (Isle of Man) Limited, paused its UAE operations at the end of 2023 following new regulations introduced by the UAE’s Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority (CGRA). The company has since shifted its focus to international markets .

Comparison with Other Notable Winners

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

Aravind Appukuttan (India): Sharjah-based Indian resident Aravind Appukuttan won Dh25 million in the Big Ticket draw in December 2023 through a free ticket. Sharing the prize with 20 friends, he called it a dream come true and urged others to keep their hopes alive. He plans to pay off loans and save the rest.

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Mangaluru’s KPT becomes India’s first autonomous govt polytechnic

News Network

January 23,2026

Mangaluru: The Karnataka Government Polytechnic (KPT), Mangaluru, has achieved autonomous status from the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), becoming the first government polytechnic in the country to receive such recognition in its 78-year history. The status was granted by AICTE, New Delhi, and subsequently approved by the Karnataka Board of Technical Education in October last year.

Officials said the autonomy was conferred a few months ago. Until recently, AICTE extended autonomous status only to engineering colleges, excluding diploma institutions. However, with a renewed national focus on skill development, several government polytechnics across India have now been granted autonomy.

KPT, the second-largest polytechnic in Karnataka, was established in 1946 with four branches and has since expanded to offer eight diploma programmes, including computer science and polymer technology. The institution is spread across a 19-acre campus.

Ravindra M Keni, the first dean of the institution, told The Times of India that AICTE had proposed autonomous status for polytechnic institutions that are over 25 years old. “Many colleges applied. In the first round, 100 institutions were shortlisted, which was further narrowed down to 15 in the second round. We have already completed one semester after becoming an autonomous institution,” he said. He added that nearly 500 students are admitted annually across eight three-year diploma courses.

Explaining the factors that helped KPT secure autonomy, Keni said the institution has consistently recorded 100 per cent admissions and placements for its graduates. He also noted its strong performance in sports, with the college emerging champions for 12 consecutive years, along with active student participation in NCC and NSS activities.

Autonomous status allows KPT to design industry-oriented curricula, conduct examinations, prepare question papers, and manage academic documentation independently. The institution can also directly collaborate with industries and receive priority funding from AICTE or the Ministry of Education. While academic autonomy has been granted, financial control will continue to rest with the state government.

“There will be separate committees for examinations, question paper setting, boards of studies, and boards of examiners. The institution will now have the freedom to conduct admissions without government notifications and issue its own marks cards,” Keni said, adding that new academic initiatives would be planned after a year of functioning under the autonomous framework.

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