COMMUNITY

Indian expat strikes Dh25 million Big Ticket jackpot in Abu Dhabi

An Indian expat from Saudi Arabia has hit the jackpot, winning the Dh25 million grand prize in the Big Ticket Draw Series 281 held in Abu Dhabi today.

Rajan PV, a 52-year-old quality control supervisor, scooped the prize with ticket number 282824, purchased on November 9.

The draw was hosted by Richard and Bouchra, with last draw’s grand prize winner, Saravanan Venkatachalam, present in the studio to pick the winning ticket. Notably, most winners today were those who had bought their tickets earlier in the month.

“Oh! My God. Thank you, thank you very much. I am also very happy,” he said, adding that he hadn’t been watching the show live as he was outside at the time.

A Keralite who has spent the last 30 years living in Saudi Arabia with his family, Rajan has been a loyal Big Ticket customer for 15 years. What began as a casual recommendation from friends gradually became a long-standing tradition – both individually and as part of a close-knit group of 16 companions.

“I first heard about Big Ticket through my friends 15 years ago. I used to watch the live draws regularly and follow the stories of the winners in the news, and that inspired me to try my luck.”

To help those in need

Learning about this unexpected windfall left him thrilled.

“This winning ticket was purchased with my group. This is truly a dream come true for every one of us.”

Rajan revealed that he would be sharing the winnings with his colleagues.

“My plan is to divide the prize equally among my friends. With my share, I hope to give back by supporting a charity and helping those in need, and I will use a small portion to do something special for my family.”

Despite the jackpot, Rajan plans to continue buying Big Ticket.

“I will definitely continue purchasing from Big Ticket. My message to others is to never lose hope, if it’s not your turn today, it could very well be tomorrow. Keep trying your luck; you never know when your moment will arrive,” Rajan added.

Looking ahead, Big Ticket is kicking off 2026 with a Dh30 million draw, with the winner set to be announced on January 3. The promotion will feature five consolation prizes of Dh50,000 each, while weekly e-draws this month will reward five lucky winners with Dh100,000.

Big Ticket’s Dream Car Series also continues, with a BMW 430i up for grabs on January 3, followed by a BMW X5 on February 3. Tickets are available online or at counters in Zayed International Airport and Al Ain Airport.

Story by Gulf News

COMMUNITY

AlUla Club Marks International Day of the Arabian Leopard

AlUla Club organized an awareness event yesterday to mark the International Day of the Arabian Leopard, with broad participation from residents of AlUla Governorate and visitors. The event is part of the club’s efforts to enhance environmental awareness and support wildlife protection initiatives.
The event aimed to educate youth and the community at large, and especially visitors to the governorate, about the importance of conserving biodiversity. It also sought to reinforce positive behaviors that support wildlife protection, underscoring the role of community initiatives in supporting national efforts to protect the environment, and sustain it.
— SPA

COMMUNITY

Saudi Arabia to issue passports for millions of camels

Saudi Arabia has announced plans to issue official passports for camels, a move aimed at better regulating and managing one of the kingdom’s most culturally and economically significant assets.

In a statement this week, Saudi Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture said the initiative would help improve oversight of camel ownership while enhancing ‘productivity and efficiency in the sector’ by creating a centralised and reliable reference database.

According to state-backed broadcaster Al Ekhbariya, the document will be used to regulate the sale, transport and trade of camels, while also helping protect owners’ rights and simplify proof of ownership.

Saudi authorities estimate that the kingdom is home to around 2.2 million camels, based on government figures released in 2024. The animals remain deeply embedded in Saudi society — historically as a primary means of transport and today as symbols of heritage, prestige and wealth.

In recent years, camels have also become central to a lucrative breeding and competition industry, particularly at large annual festivals such as the King Abdulaziz Camel Festival, where prize-winning animals can sell for hundreds of thousands of dollars.

That growing commercial value has prompted authorities to tighten oversight, especially after repeated scandals involving cosmetic manipulation of camels entered into beauty contests. Organisers have banned practices such as injections and fillers used to enhance lips, noses and humps, with offenders facing fines and disqualification.

Officials say the passport system is part of a broader effort to modernise agricultural governance while preserving traditional industries — using documentation, data and traceability to manage practices that once relied entirely on oral record and custom.

COMMUNITY

Saudi Arabia suspends 1,800 foreign Umrah agencies after review

Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has suspended contracts with about 1,800 foreign travel agencies operating in the Umrah sector, giving them 10 days to rectify their status following a periodic performance review, the ministry said.

The affected agencies are among roughly 5,800 foreign firms authorised to provide Umrah services. The decision was taken after evaluations identified performance deficiencies and weak service quality, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Sunday

The ministry said the suspension applies only to the issuance of new Umrah visas and is intended as a regulatory measure to allow agencies to address classification issues and improve compliance with approved standards. Contracts will be reactivated once the requirements are met within the specified grace period, it added.

The ministry stressed that Umrah pilgrims holding valid visas or existing reservations will not be affected, confirming that services to them will continue without disruption.

Applying approved classification criteria and performance indicators is a core regulatory tool to raise compliance among service providers and ensure that services meet required standards, the ministry said, adding that protecting the rights of Umrah performers and ensuring service continuity remain central priorities.

Ghassan Alnwaimi, the ministry’s spokesperson, said regulatory action would be taken against any agency that fails to correct deficiencies by the deadline. He added that the ministry would continue to rely on monitoring and evaluation mechanisms to strengthen the reliability of the Umrah sector and safeguard pilgrims’ rights.