Balasubramanian Chithambaram, an Indian-origin project engineer in Singapore, became an overnight millionaire after winning US$1 million (over Rs. 8 crore INR) in a lucky draw. His life-changing win, announced on November 24, followed his purchase of a gold chain for his wife three months earlier. Chithambaram had spent S$6,000 at Mustafa Jewellery in Little India, where customers spending at least S$250 were eligible for the draw.
The lucky draw was part of Mustafa Jewellery’s annual event, held at the Civil Service Club @ Tessensohn. Chithambaram, who has lived and worked in Singapore for 21 years, was overwhelmed with emotion upon hearing the news. “Today is also my father’s fourth death anniversary. It’s a blessing,” he said tearfully during a video call. He expressed his intention to share his good fortune with his mother and donate a portion of his winnings to the community.
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Chithambaram’s story echoes a similar one from Malaysia, where a man won RM3 million after following his wife’s advice to buy a lottery ticket he wouldn’t normally have chosen. The man, Cheng, attributed his success to listening to his wife’s suggestion. “It turns out, listening to my wife helped me to win!” he said. Cheng planned to invest the money in his children’s future, entrusting his wife with managing the rest.
The Mustafa Jewellery event wasn’t just about the grand prize; other participants also won smaller prizes, including US$5,000 in the store’s monthly draws.
