The Bhutanese Leading the way.
The Nu 15 mn and Nu 5 mn winners also share their experience
Lucky Pem, an online lottery draw, announced its winners on the occasion of the 118th National Day, with the most anticipated prizes awarded to the top three winners. The first prize winner received Nu 15 million (mn), the second prize Nu 10 mn, and the third prize Nu 5 mn.
Bhutanese citizens were able to participate in the online lottery by purchasing tickets for Nu 1,000 through the Digital Kidu (DK) Bank and the My Bhutan App.
Following a 10-day warm-up period leading up to National Day, ticket sales concluded on the final day across two categories: Pool A and Pool B. Pool A recorded the highest participation, with 50,000 participants, while Pool B had 3,119 participants.
Notably, all three top prize winners were drawn from Pool A.
This paper contacted the top three winners, each of whom shared their reactions and plans for the prize money.
Among them, the second prize winner, 55-year-old Tshering Phuntsho from Chumey, Bumthang, left a lasting impression after openly stating during the live announcement that he has long been supporting people facing financial difficulties. He added that he intends to continue assisting underprivileged individuals using the Nu 10 mn prize money he received for securing second place.
A father of four, Tshering said he runs a shop and has been facing financial challenges due to fluctuations in his business.
Despite facing several personal and financial challenges himself, Tshering said that, as his shop is located near a school, he has been supporting students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds.
Sharing one such instance, he said, “There were three girl students who were going through personal difficulties and needed financial support. Even though I did not have enough at the time, I sought help from my relatives, and a total amount of Nu 85,000 was spent to support them.”
Even on the day he won the lottery, Tshering continued helping others by providing shoes and clothes. He said, “Even today, I have been helping people who did not have proper shoes and clothes to wear. This day itself reminded me of how auspicious and precious a moment in life it was.”
Tshering said that his desire to help comes from within, and he takes joy in seeing others happy through the support he provides. He added that, although he lives in Bumthang, he has traveled to other dzongkhags to assist, particularly students who lack parental support.
Tshering believes that the good deeds he has been doing contributed to his lottery win. He said, “The merit of helping people who are socially and economically disadvantaged could be the reason. Furthermore, this is an indication that the Nu 10 million I received should be used to help even more such people.”
Moreover, he shared that he has assisted 37 elderly people in going on pilgrimages, many of whom had never even visited the capital city before.
He further mentioned that, although he is always willing to help those in need, he prefers not to publicize his acts of kindness.
Tshering said that he asked a friend to assist him with registering through the DK Bank. He plans to use the winnings to help children of divorced parents, as well as other underprivileged individuals.
“I urge Bhutanese citizens to remember that very few people actively help those in need. For me, helping them directly is far more meaningful than making donations in any other form,” said Tshering.
Moreover, he added that his efforts to support others have not been successful solely because of him, but also to the kindness and support of his relatives.
In conversation with the other two lottery winners, 33-year-old Tshering Yangzom, who won the first prize of Nu 15 million, and 43-year-old Yeshey Rangdrel, the third prize winner of Nu 5 million, both from Lhuentse, shared that they have not yet decided how to use their winnings. However, both expressed their belief that their success was made possible by Kenchosum’s blessings. As a first step, they plan to make donations and offerings to lhakhangs and monasteries.
Tshering Yangzom, a mother of a 7-year-old girl, who currently lives with her parents, shared her reaction to winning the Nu 15 million first prize. She said that before the win, she did not face any significant financial problems. However, receiving such a large sum has left her momentarily speechless. She said, “I did not think I would be the first prize winner. At the moment, I am not able to think of how I could use the money.”
She registered through the DK App about five to six days before the draw, with the help of her elder sister. At present, she says she can only express her gratitude to Kenchosum and the organizers of Lucky Pem. In the past, she had purchased lottery tickets but had never won, until being declared the first prize winner of Lucky Pem.
Yeshey Rangdrel shared that on National Day, after listening to His Majesty the King’s address, he went to rest and had his phone on silent. Later, he checked his phone and found several missed calls. However, he said he initially did not believe the news, as another person had been announced earlier as the third prize winner.
Explaining further, he said, “There was a mistake in the earlier announcement, so I did not believe it at first. However, after the confirmation, I came to know that I was the real third prize winner.”
He mentioned that his financial situation has been hand-to-mouth, and that like many others, he does not live a luxurious life. He shared that he is not technically proficient, and therefore, sought the help of his friend and brother to register for Lucky Pem. He said, “I am grateful to my friend and my brother for their help, as this became possible because of them.”
From the Nu 5 million prize money, he said he would first express his gratitude to the gods and deities, settle his loans, and then invest for his children’s future. He added, “As I did not expect to win the third prize, I had not made any specific plans beyond this.”
Lucky Pem stands out as one of the first online lottery initiatives in Bhutan in which the entire amount collected was fully distributed among the winners and it is free of tax.
