THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Shibu Paul and Linnet Joseph, a Malayali couple based in Nottingham in the United Kingdom, thought they were in dreamland when they were woken up by the representatives of Lamborghini with a brand new luxury car worth Rs 1.84 crore (£195,000).But it was definitely for real as Shibu won a lifestyle competition organised by ‘Best of the Best’ (BOTB), a dream car and lifestyle competition company. Shibu, who had lost his job amid the coronavirus pandemic, could not believe his eyes when he opened the boot of the car. For there was Rs 18.94 lakh (£20,000) as prize money too.
A native of Velloor near Piravom in Kottayam district, the 31-year-old Shibu had reached the UK a year ago after having worked as a sound engineer with a leading studio in Kochi. Initially, the couple lived in Cambridge. But the high cost of living there prompted them to move to Nottingham where Linnet is currently working as a staff nurse with the Nottingham City Hospital.
Shibu was awaiting a call from prospective employers after having attended various interviews when lady luck smiled on him. He bought three tickets worth £6-7 each for BOTB, which has been in operation in major UK airports since 1999.
“I had participated three times and I didn’t want to become an addict. Last time, I filled the form and forgot about it completely. My wife was taking a nap after her night shift, and when the doorbell rang, we were greeted with a brand new Lamborghini worth £195,000 and a prize money of £20,000. We are so grateful to god, as we were worried about my job prospects,” Shibu told TNIE over the phone.
The couple was in for another surprise when the BOTB representative asked them to open the boot of the Lamborghini, revealing a cheque for the prize money. But they have decided to take the cash option instead of the car. For the time being, Shibu is happy driving his Toyota Yaris around as the couple aims to buy a house in Nottingham.