Karnataka Man Wins Rs 49 Crore Abu Dhabi Lottery, Village Erupts in Celebration

• Shanthanu Shettigar from Mattu village, Kaup taluk, won 20 million UAE dirhams (Rs 49 crore) in the Abu Dhabi Big Ticket draw.
• Shanthanu, working in Oman for seven years, jointly purchased the winning ticket with a friend and plans to share the prize equally.
• His family and the village celebrated the unexpected windfall, with his father remarking, "It feels like Goddess Lakshmi has come home."
• The win comes a month after the birth of his baby girl, which relatives believe brought luck to the family.
• Shanthanu's win adds to a trend of Indians, particularly from South India, winning large sums in UAE lottery draws.