An Indian-origin man in Singapore, Balasubramanian Chithambaram, has won the grand prize of US$1 million (over Rs 8 crore) in a lucky draw after buying a gold chain for his wife three months ago. Chithambaram, a project engineer with 21 years of experience, won the prize in a draw held by Mustafa Jewellery on November 24, as part of their annual event at the Civil Service Club@Tessensohn. To enter, customers needed to spend over S$250 at the store, and Chithambaram had purchased gold ornaments worth S$6,000 for his wife.
The news came as a pleasant surprise, and Chithambaram, visibly emotional during a video call, expressed his gratitude, noting that the win coincided with the fourth death anniversary of his father. He plans to share the joy with his mother and donate part of the winnings to the community. In addition to the grand prize, several other customers won US$5,000 prizes during the event.
In a similar story, another Indian-origin man in Singapore won ₹8.45 crore (S$1.5 million) in a lottery after purchasing a ticket for his wife, who had been feeling down. The anonymous winner bought the ticket from a retail outlet as a thoughtful gesture, never imagining it would lead to such a huge win. The ticket was part of the Singapore Pools' draw, and when the man checked the results, he was overjoyed to see he had won one of the largest lottery prizes ever claimed in Singapore.
The couple plans to use the money to secure their family's future and contribute to charitable causes. This remarkable win has captured the attention of both the Indian and Singaporean communities, showing how small, thoughtful gestures can sometimes lead to extraordinary outcomes.
