Indian driver in UAE wins lottery worth Rs 33 crore
Dubai, Dec 24: An Indian driver in the UAE has won Dirhams 15 million (Rs 33 crore) as the grand prize in a weekly lottery.
Ajay Ogula, 31, who has been working for a jewellery establishment, hit the jackpot after he purchased two tickets for his first-ever participation with Emirates Draw EASY6.
Currently working as a driver at a jewellery firm, Ogula came to the UAE four years from his village in southern India.
"During a random conversation with my boss, I mentioned reading about someone winning a handsome amount with Emirates Draw, to which my boss advised that you keep wasting money here and there, so why not use it instead on an opportunity like this'," he was quoted as saying by the Gulf News.
Following his employer's advice, Ogula installed the Emirates Draw mobile app and purchased two lottery tickets, it said.
As the eldest child, he felt obligated to support his family, including an ageing mother and two younger siblings who reside in an old, rented house.
"I was out with my friend when I received the congratulatory email. I thought, perhaps it's a smaller winning amount, but when I started reading, the zeroes kept adding up, and I practically lost my mind when I learned the final figure," he said.
Ogula plans to invite his family members to Dubai and then build a house for them in their village and also start a construction company to become self-sufficient, the report said.
"Congratulations to our Grand Prize winner, Ajay Ogula, on his epic win. Emirates Draw is not just about numbers and winners; it is about making a difference in people's lives and has been the goal from day one and will remain at the heart of all we do," said Mohammad Behroozian Alawadhi, Managing Partner, Emirates Draw.
"Our entire team is ecstatic for Ajay Ogula, and we are confident that this win will positively change his life and all the people around him," he said.
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Former India hockey coach Michael Nobbs dies
Melbourne (PTI): Former Australian hockey player Michael Nobbs, who coached the Indian men's team at the 2012 London Olympics, has died after a prolonged illness.
He was 72 years old and is survived by his wife Lee Capes, a former Australian women's international and daughter Kaitlin, who is a current Hockeyroos star.
"Hockey Australia extends its deepest condolences to Michael’s family, friends, former teammates, players and all those whose lives and careers were shaped by his contribution to hockey. He will be remembered as a proud Kookaburra, a respected professional, and a servant of the sport," Hockey Australia said in a statement.
Nobbs represented Australia as a defender, playing across the half-back line and at fullback, and was renowned for his reliability, fitness and professionalism. He earned 76 international caps for Australia between 1979 and 1985, scoring one goal, and was a member of one of the strongest eras in Australian men’s hockey, said Hockey Australia on its website in its tribute.
Nobbs was an integral part of the Australian teams that competed at the 1981 Hockey World Cup in Bombay and the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics.
While part of a generation widely regarded as one of Australia’s finest, he consistently held his place through hard work, discipline and trust earned from teammates and coaches, Hockey Australia wrote.
Nobbs took over the coaching of the Indian men's team in 2011 after it had failed to qualify for the Beijing Games in 2008. While India were brilliant in the qualifiers, the team finished last at the London extravaganza which also expedited the Australian coach's sacking.
Apart from India, Nobbs also coached Japan.
