Anilkumar Bolla, an Indian expatriate based in Abu Dhabi, won 100 million dirham in The UAE Lottery in October 2025. A year later, the 29-year-old says his priorities include spending time with family, investing in property and exploring business opportunities.
An Indian expatriate who won 100 million dirham (approximately ₹240 crore) in The UAE Lottery has spoken about how the windfall has changed his life a year after the win.
Anilkumar Bolla, a 29-year-old technology professional based in Abu Dhabi, won the jackpot in October 2025. Since then, he has purchased properties in India and the UAE, bought cars for himself and his brother, gifted gold jewellery to his mother and acquired farmland for his father.
Reflecting on the past year, Bolla, who hails from Telangana, said the biggest change has been the opportunity to spend more time with his family.
Who is Anilkumar Bolla? How his life changed after winning ₹240 crore
Bolla won what was described as the largest lottery prize ever awarded in the UAE when he secured the 100 million dirham jackpot in October 2025.
Speaking about the year since his win, he said spending time with his family had become a priority.
“The most important thing is that I am spending quality time with my family,” he was quoted as saying by Khaleej Times.
Describing the experience as “transformative”, he added: “Winning the lottery reshaped my life and my ambitions as well.”
The money has also enabled him to enjoy material comforts. Over the past year, Bolla has purchased an iPhone 17 Air and four to five high-end watches. However, he said helping his family has been among the most meaningful outcomes of his lottery win.
One of his early purchases was gold jewellery for his mother.
“It was her dream to have a few ornaments, so I brought 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 purchased properties in India and the UAE since winning the jackpot, his family continues to live in the same house they occupied before his ₹240 crore lottery win.
Bolla describes the house as his father's dream home.
He has, however, gifted his father farmland where he can pursue his interest in organic farming.
"My happiness is always linked 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 investments and business opportunities
A year after his win, Bolla says the excitement he initially felt about travelling has faded.
During the past 12 months, he has travelled to several destinations and enjoyed new experiences with his family. Bali, Thailand and Amsterdam were among the places he visited.
"Somehow, the excitement has faded away, but I'm really grateful for the opportunities I'm getting and the things I'm doing," he said.
With many of his wishes fulfilled, Bolla has begun exploring potential business ideas and long-term financial planning.
His investments include property near the airport in Abu Dhabi and at Dubai Marina.
Asked what advice he would offer other lottery winners, the Indian techie said: “Welcome to the millionaires’ club. Stay humble, manage your money well, and spend it wisely and with discipline.”
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Anjali Thakur
Anjali Thakur is a Senior Assistant Editor with Mint, reporting on trending news, entertainment and health, with a focus on stories driving digital conversations. Her work involves spotting early signals across news cycles and social media, sharpening stories for SEO and Google Discover, and mentoring young editors in digital-first newsroom practices. She is known for turning fast-moving developments—whether news-driven or culture-led—into clear, tightly edited journalism without compromising editorial rigour.<br><br> Before joining Mint, she was Deputy News Editor at NDTV.com, where she led the Trending section and covered viral news, breaking developments and human-interest stories. She has also worked as Chief Sub-Editor at India.com (Zee Media) and as Senior Correspondent with Exchange4media and Hindustan Times’ HT City, reporting on media, advertising, entertainment, health, lifestyle and popular culture.<br><br> Anjali holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Miranda House, and is currently pursuing an MBA, strengthening her understanding of business strategy and digital media economics. Her writing balances newsroom discipline with a clear instinct for what resonates with readers.