11 Women Sanitation Workers in India Win $1.2 Million Lottery Jackpot
In a heartwarming turn of events, a group of eleven women who work as sanitation laborers in India struck gold when they won a $1.2 million lottery jackpot last week. The enormous sum, which amounts to over $700,000 after taxes, is a life-changing windfall for these hardworking individuals who spend their days collecting household waste and constructing public toilets.
Pooling their money together in June, these women purchased the equivalent of a $3 lottery ticket since they could not afford the cost individually. Their gamble paid off as they emerged victorious in a country where they had been facing tremendous financial hardships. Most of the winners were burdened with debts from loans taken out for medical treatments, their children’s education, dowries, and other necessary expenses that were unaffordable on their meager daily wages of approximately $3.
Leela K., one of the fortunate winners and a mother of four daughters, expressed her relief, stating, “I’m swimming in debt, so this money will be a big relief. I will finally have peace of mind. But my tension will vanish only when the money comes into my account.”
Notably, five of the winners belong to social classes once considered untouchable in India’s hierarchical caste system. Leela K., for instance, is from the Dalit community, comprising roughly 300 million Indians who continue to face widespread mistreatment and violence despite constitutional protections.
Even though a 100 million-rupee lottery jackpot may not be remarkably enticing in the United States, where a $1.05 billion Mega Millions jackpot is at stake, in India, a nation with a per capita annual gross domestic product of around $2,400, this fortune is colossal.
The 11 winners were exceptionally fortunate as the southern Indian state of Kerala, responsible for organizing the lottery since 1967, had designated the recent drawing as a “bumper prize” edition, substantially increasing the jackpot in celebration of India’s annual summer monsoon.
News of their extraordinary win has garnered attention not only in Kerala but also throughout India as a tale of hope in the face of immense challenges. Sheeja Karma, the director of the all-women municipal recycling program where the winners work, described these women as residing in “very humble households fighting the harsh realities of life,” including urgent medical expenses and marriage dowries for their daughters.
“The money from the lottery will help them overcome adversities and their current monetary difficulties,” said KT Balabhaskaran, a senior sanitation official in Kerala. “It may prove to be life-changing.”
Radha M.P., the sanitation worker who purchased the ticket on behalf of her colleagues, shared her own financial struggles, stating that she was burdened with heavy debts and had previously lost hundreds of dollars in financial scams.
Ms. Radha recalled the moment of disbelief and joy upon realizing their win, saying, “When I checked the winning number, it was the same as the ticket. But we could not believe it!” To confirm their victory, she asked her boss to crosscheck the numbers, who subsequently drove them straight to the bank to validate the ticket.
For Leela K., winning the jackpot comes as a relief as she is still paying off debts from her daughter’s wedding and medical bills from her other daughter’s multiple surgeries following a train accident.
While she intends to continue working—not only because she enjoys it but also due to her financial limitations—Leela K. acknowledges that there won’t be much left after paying off her debts. Nevertheless, this unexpected fortune has undoubtedly brought much-needed respite to these deserving women who have persevered through challenging circumstances.