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Indian wins $10m in online jackpot

Tara Shankar Sahay and Josy Joseph in New Delhi

Move over Amitabh Bachchan and Kaun Banega Crorepati , a mega-crorepati has been born.

If the Bachchan-anchored super-success of KBC has Indians rooted to their TV sets at prime time, the 57-year-old Delhi-based parliamentary reporter Mohammed Kareem Basha has quietly created history by becoming the first Indian to win a lottery of $ 10 million (upwards of Rs 45 crores!) three weeks ago.

"No, no, there is little brainwork I have done, it is all the grace of God, Allah be praised," says Basha with an infectious smile but with a head which is firmly ensconced on his shoulders,

Basha's colleagues (official reporters in the Rajya Sabha) in Room No. 120 on the third floor in Parliament House break out into a cheer when this correspondent confirms that he has indeed won $ 10 million.

"Well, I won't deny that my life will change a bit now. But I am not one of those starry-eyed teenagers to go ga-ga and mad with joy," the lucky winners underscores. He smilingly accepts the profusion of congratulation from all around.

Considerably net-savvy, Basha has a PC at home and two sons who share their father's enthusiasm for surfing. The eldest, Mushtaq, is in the computer graphics business while the younger one works for a publishing company. He has three daughters who are married.

So what led to this mind-boggling windfall?

"Since I surf a lot, I came across this website about six months ago and began playing. I said to myself, why not test your luck, maybe one could strike it rich," he recalls.

Basha became a regular player in the lottery of FreeLotto. But the first time he clicked with some success, the upshot wasn't spectacular -- he won just one dollar. He donated it to a charity.

And September 28, 2000 proved to be eventful.

Basha logged on to his favourite lottery site. He clicked on the numbers 21, 5, 29, 45, 48, 37 and 15. And then he forgot about it all.

The next day, he was pleasantly surprised to receive a long-distance call from FreeLotto chairman Kevin Aronin who informed him that he had hit paydirt -- becoming the website's first SuperBucks jackpot winner. Basha thanked him politely and didn't dive off the roof.

But if his family-members were ecstatic, his wife, Bibi Jaan, 54, was cool as a cucumber.

"What more can I want if providence helps us to give a good life to our children and grand-children," she echoed her husband's modesty.

However, the $ 10 million won by Basha will be a long time coming.

The megabucks will be paid in yearly instalments in thirty years. The first instalment will be the lowest while the last highest.

"I have to reckon with the income-tax people here. After that, I don't know how much money will be deducted as tax under US laws," Basha points out.

All this does not perturb the Basha family and everybody is willing to take things in his or her stride.

That the lottery-winner is pragmatic is proved by his desire to chase off debts.

"It has been weighing on my mind for long. I will pay off my debts and have some peace of mind," he underlines, adding that then he would "like to move to a better house and then maybe, buy a car."

"Since my eldest son is interested in expanding his computer graphics business, maybe I will finance him. If the younger son wants to go abroad, I will help him," he says.

"I will like to give the best possible education to my grand-children. And then if there is enough, I would like to visit my friend Shakeel Ahmed in Bangkok who is posted in the US embassy. This is the plan I have made with my wife," he says.

When these correspondents went to meet Basha in the afternoon, he had gone to offer namaaz . Religion is not far off his mind too.

"My father was a Haji (one who has performed Haj ). I would very much like to do the same. A foreign jaunt would do me and wife a lot of good. If I can attain all these objectives, I will be a very happy person," he points out.

The good news has spread in the corridors of Parliament House and well-wishers stream in to greet and congratulate Basha.

"I hope you will remember me and continue shaking my hand," says a young colleague, triggering laughter all around.

"Arre bhai, mein kahan badalne wala hoon" (Oh, I am not going to change), he laughs.

It is time to say goodbye. The infectious smile appears again.

"Thank you for your good wishes," Basha says with his right hand in a firm clasp.

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