Who is Shrey Parikh? The Indian-origin teen who won America’s biggest spelling bee

Shrey Parikh, a 14-year-old from Rancho Cucamonga, California, won the Scripps National Spelling Bee after a tense final spell-off against Ishaan Gupta, a 12-year-old from Jersey City, New Jersey. The eighth grader secured the title after spelling 32 words correctly in 90 seconds, while Ishaan managed 25 in the same time, in a contest that stretched across 18 rounds over three days, as the AP quoted from the competition coverage.

The final turned into a rapid-fire duel using a spell-off format introduced in recent years, where both contestants faced identical words and had limited time to respond. Shrey, who arrived as one of the favourites, appeared composed despite visible nerves earlier in the competition, and later said he felt in control once he received each word, a statement quoted by the AP through post-event interviews.

A rapid-fire finish in Washington
The spell-off produced the fastest deciding round in the competition’s recent history, with Shrey pulling ahead early and maintaining his lead word after word. Ishaan kept pace but eventually fell behind as the clock pushed both spellers to maximise speed over deliberation, marking a dramatic conclusion to the finals held at Constitution Hall in Washington DC.

The journey from setback to champion
Shrey’s path included a setback when he missed his regional bee after a viral illness affected him. He also stumbled on the word “calipers” during a school competition, moments that he later worked to overcome through renewed preparation and practice.

The final contenders and defining words
Among the finalists were Ishaan Gupta, Sarv Dharavane, and other top spellers who advanced through 18 rounds marked by high accuracy early on, before several eliminated words like “Faesulae”, “vaesite”, and “catometope” shifted the momentum of the contest.

Indian-origin legacy in the competition
Shrey’s victory continued a long trend of Indian-origin winners in the Scripps National Spelling Bee, with 31 of the past 37 champions sharing the heritage, a streak that began in 1999, as highlighted during post-event commentary cited by the AP.

Celebration and reactions after the win
After the result, Shrey shook hands with Ishaan on stage before being declared champion, while his mother Khyati Mehta described counting the final words as they were announced, saying she realised the win was near once he crossed thirty, a reflection quoted by the AP. His coach Sohum Sukhatankar, along with Sam Evans and Vijaya Ganesh, praised his disciplined preparation, with Evans noting his relentless work ethic and saying, “He’s got that dog in him,” as quoted by the AP.

A competition that tested speed and precision
The finals featured Sarv Dharavane finishing third for the second consecutive year. ESPN coverage hosted by Mina Kimes alongside Paul Loeffler brought a lively atmosphere at Constitution Hall. A brief technical glitch delayed the spell-off buzzer, adding tension before Shrey and Ishaan resumed their rapid contest. The winning word “bromocriptine” was later identified by Scripps organisers. Critics including Navneeth Murali questioned the speed-based format, though Shrey earned $52,500.

(With inputs from AP)
Ready to navigate global policies? Secure your overseas future. Get expert guidance now!