Indian wins 1kg gold in first DSF raffle draw

It’s the season to splurge –a  season where shopaholics are rewarded in plenty.

The first person to benefit from the Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF) extravaganza is Jayaprakash Balureddy, who walked away with 1kg of gold, worth about Dh145,000, awarded by the Dubai Gold and Jewellery Group (DGJG).

Jayaprakash plans to sell the gold and use part of the money to repay a loan he took a few months ago for his wedding expenses and to help his family.

He also plans to set aside some amount to help educate children in his village.

“I was unable to go for higher studies because I did not have the money. Now that I have money I want to help children in my village so they can get themselves educated,” he said.

An hour after Jayaprakash bought gold ornaments for his bride-to-be, he got a call announcing his win on January 2.

“I was so shocked when I got the call telling me I had won. I had only shopped for gold an hour before the call so I thought it couldn’t be true. I didn’t even know about the Dubai Shopping Festival,” he confesses.

“I’m getting married on February 10 and was shopping for my bride-to-be,” he said.

Jayaprakash, who hails from Tiruvannamalai in Tamil Nadu, has been living in Dubai for the last five years and works as a technician at Etisalat.

After he learnt about his win, he called his mother back home to share the news.

“She was so happy. Everyone in my village is so happy. My mother asked me to call my bride-to-be immediately,” he said.

Jayaprakash believes it’s his bride-to-be who has brought him luck.

Throughout the 32-day long DSF, gold shoppers stand a chance to win 1 kilo of gold and a diamond solitaire ring daily for every purchase of Dh500 or more.
 

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