[QODLink]
Central & South Asia
Win turns worker into 'Slumdog Millionaire'
Sushil Kumar's win on Indian TV show Kaun Banega Crorepati draws comparisons with the plot of 2008 Oscar-winning film.
Last Modified: 29 Oct 2011 06:17
 Sushil Kumar, too poor to own a TV set, has not made any grand plans on spending his prize money [Reuters]

A man from one of India's poorest states has won an unprecedented $1 million jackpot in the Indian version of the TV game show "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire".

Office worker Sushil Kumar from Bihar was the first contestant to win the top prize on the popular TV show Kaun Banega Crorepati, hosted by Bollywood actor Amitabh Bachchan.

Kumar, who earns 6,000 rupees ($120) per month, says he used to watch the show at a neighbour's house because his family was too poor to afford a television set. He has not made any grand plans on spending his prize.

"I'm going to repair my house, fulfil a few basic needs and then move to Delhi to study for the civil service exams," he told the Reuters news agency.

"Our house has almost broken down and we have a lot of loans that have to be repaid, If it hadn't been for this money, I would have got old before I sorted out my life," Kumar said.

"Slumdog Millionaire", shot in the slums of Mumbai, tells the story of a call centre teaboy who wins the TV game show against all odds.

Source:
Agencies
Topics in this article
People
Country
City
Organisation
Featured on Al Jazeera
Murder of Somali draws ire of foreign African nationals over rising xenophobic violence.
We look at the impact of increased sanctions against the Islamic Republic and ask who it really affects.
Tupamaros enforce rough justice in Venezuela's slums to support socialism, but critics say the group are violent thugs.
More than a decade ago the US launched a war against Afghanistan, but was it a justified battle?
Featured
Two years since the start of the uprising, rebels and Assad's forces remain locked in conflict.
Extensive coverage of political unrest that spread from Istanbul to other areas.
Weeks of demonstrations could benefit AKP's grip on power - or be a game-changer.
More than 100 million girls have suffered genital 'cutting' to save family honour.
News and analysis of 2013 presidential contest as Ahmadinejad finishes second term.
join our mailing list