Indian-American teen wins Nat’l Spelling Bee

Washington: Indian-Ameri­can student Shrey Parikh, 14, from California, won the 2025 Scripps National Spelling Bee after correctly spelling 32 of 35 words in a 90-second spell-off, setting a new competition record. An 8th-grader at Day Creek Intermediate School, Parikh clinched the title by correctly spelling “bromocriptine”. He surpassed the previous spell-off record of 29 correct spellings set in 2024.

Parikh defeated Ishaan Gupta, 12, of New Jersey, who received $25,000. Sarv Dhara­vane, 12, from Georgia, secured 3rd spot and won $15,000. “Spell­ing fast is what I do every day,” Parikh said.

The champion received $50,000, the Scripps Cup, a commemorative medal and other prizes. A finalist in 2024, Parikh had competed in 2022. The 3-day contest featured 247 contestants from the US and other nations; 5 of the 9 fin­a­li­sts were of Indian origin. —PTI