‘I can use this prize money to build a house for my family’ says Indian worker who won $18,888 at company’s Squid Games-style event

SINGAPORE: A young man from India who won a prize equal to a year and a half of his salary fell to his knees at the awarding, apparently overwhelmed at his good fortune.

A TikTok uploaded by the emcee at the awarding ceremony of the Go Big or Go Home D&D event, Mr Ng Kai Zhuan, who goes by @emceebotakkai on the platform, shows the winner, Mr Selvam, falling on the ground.

The emcee later helped Mr Selvam up. He was then handed a gigantic bouquet of $100 notes by what appears to be one of the executives of Pollisum Group, the company Mr Selvam works for.

@emceebotakkai

*edit* 1.5 years of salary and not 2! 👍 Imagine winning $18,888 at your company’s dnd! one of the biggest I have ever given out and to a very deserving and sensible man who ask his boss to safekeep his money. Love it!! Kudos to @pollisumgroup for giving out more than 100k in cash to all employees with everyone walking home with at least $188!

♬ original sound – emceebotakkai – emceebotakkai

Mr Selvam is a heavy lift vehicle operator in Singapore with three children back home with his wife. Additionally, he supports seven other children of two of his brothers who have passed away, taking care of their living expenses and studies.

After the win was announced, Pollisum Group posted a video of Mr Selvam with his prize bouquet, where the worker shared a little about himself.

He said he came to the country to work to support his family in India. But upon arriving in Singapore, he realized that life was not easy and things did not always go smoothly.

But when he joined Pollisum in 2014, things got better for him. “Then I won this prize. So I am very happy,” he adds.

When asked to share his family background, Mr Selvam said his parents passed away during his working stint in Singapore.

He also said that his wife and three children live with his father-in-law, who helps care for them.

“I don’t own any land or houses. Thanks to Pollisum, I can use this prize money to build a house for my family.”

And when he called to tell his family the good news, “they were all celebrating and crying at the same time,” he said. “This will be a moment we will never forget for our entire life.” /TISG

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