KANHANGAD: A struggling construction worker in Ravaneshwaram struck it rich when he won a Rs 75 lakh Dhanasree lottery on Tuesday.
P Govindan (47) hit the jackpot after 15 laborious years, 10 years in the UAE, and five in his home town. But when Lady Luck smiled, she did thrice on him.
"I first got Rs 500 last week. I used the money to buy five more lotteries, from which I got Rs 5,000," he said.
Govindan, who is married and has two daughters, bet on his luck again and bought two more lotteries of Rs 30 each from the Thampuran lottery stall in Kanhangad. And he hit big. He handed over the ticket with number D A 657522 to Chithari Service Cooperative Bank.
"If only my father was alive to share my joy," Govindan said, hugging his brother, Ravi Ravaneshwaram, a journalist, after hitting the jackpot. They lost their father two months ago.
Life never really took off for Govindan, a below poverty line cardholder. "I struggled in the UAE as a construction worker for 10 years and one fine day in 2011 I lost my job," he said. Govindan returned to Ravaneshwaram without any savings. For the next five years, he found odd jobs. "But I used to religiously buy lottery every day," he said.
Govindan, who owns a 9-cent plot, said he would like to turn a farmer. "I will buy a small plot and being farming," he said of his plans.
When asked if he will he stop buying lotteries, Govindan said: "I don't think I have run out of luck yet".