Indian-American Faizan Zaki wins 2025 Scripps National Spelling Bee
New York, May 30 (PTI): Faizan Zaki, a 13-year-old Indian-American student from Texas, has won the Scripps National Spelling Bee after he spelt “éclaircissement” correctly, maintaining the dominance of the children from the community in the prestigious US competition.
Zaki will take home USD 50,000, a medal and a trophy as he won the Spelling Bee in its 100th year.
Zaki bested Sarvadnya Kadam to win the 2025 Scripps National Spelling Bee on Thursday night.
The 13-year-old took home the Scripps Cup outspelling more than 240 students from across the country, Scripps said in a post on X.
A 7th-grade student at C M Rice Middle School, Zaki finished second in 2024 in a spell-off to another Indian-American Bruhat Soma.
This was Zaki’s fourth time participating in the Scripps National Spelling Bee. Zaki earned the prestigious title in round 21 when he correctly spelt “éclaircissement,” which is defined as “the clearing up of something obscure: enlightenment.”
He outlasted eight other accomplished spellers to win the title.
The culmination of the national championship came with a shock. Zaki had an earlier chance to win this year’s bee, in the 18th round, after mistakes by two other finalists.
In what could have been the last round, when there were three left, Sarvadnya Kadam and Sarv Dharavane got their words wrong.
It seemed to be Zaki’s big chance. But he rushed to spell his word before a proper explanation and got the first letter wrong.
Hardly before the word “commelina” had left the pronouncer’s mouth, Zaki jumped on it, saying, “k-a-m ——”
He recognised his mistake right away, but it was too late.
As he spelt the winning word, Zaki fell on the stage in joy as confetti rained down. “I don’t know what to say. I’m just really happy,” he said.
Organisers congratulated Zaki's parents and his grandparents, who were watching the competition from their home in Hyderabad.
“I can’t describe it,” Zaki said minutes later. “It’s so amazing, getting to this point. Winning? I never expected this.”
Adam Symson, president and CEO of the E W Scripps Company, presented the championship trophy.
“Faizan exemplified the determination that defines a champion,” said Symson. His unwavering focus and preparation led to a well-earned victory tonight on the Bee’s largest stage, he said.
“In this landmark 100th year of the Scripps National Spelling Bee, Scripps is honoured to celebrate Faizan’s extraordinary achievement as well as the spellers throughout the Bee’s history who continue to inspire millions,” he said.
The first Spelling Bee competition was held in 1925 in Washington, DC, and only nine kids participated, according to Scripps. This year, more than 200 students competed.
Zaki is only the fifth speller in Bee history to win after coming in second place the year before. He tied for 21st place in 2023 and 370th place in 2019.
Zaki will take home USD 50,000, a medal and a trophy. He will receive a USD 2,500 prize and a reference library from the Bee’s dictionary partner Merriam-Webster.
Kadam of Visalia, California, placed second in the competition and will receive USD 25,000.
Dharavane of Dunwoody, Georgia, will receive USD 15,000.
Thirty of the past 36 champions, including Zaki, of the Scripps National Spelling Bee have been Indian American.
Nupur Lala was the first Indian-American to win the competition in 1999.
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Karnataka to witness heavy rain for next 10 days
Bengaluru: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast that the southwest monsoon will cause heavy rainfall likely this weekend and will drench Karnataka over the next 10 days.
The monsoon has begun retreating from northwestern India. Conditions remain active over the south, with an upper air trough extending up to 1.5 km over North Interior Karnataka and northern Tamil Nadu, combined with weakening monsoon winds across the peninsula, is driving the current spell. N. Puviarasan, head of the IMD’s meteorological centre in Bengaluru, said in a conversation with Deccan Herald, “As a result, the whole of Karnataka will see rain over the next week to 10 days."
With a cyclone in the Pacific Ocean along with a low-pressure system over the north Bay of Bengal, the monsoon is expected to intensify during the next four days. IMD has predicted heavy rains across South Interior Karnataka, including Bengaluru, throughout the weekend.
Bengaluru, recorded widespread moderate to heavy rainfall on Thursday. Between 8.30 am and 8.30 pm, Bengaluru city logged 45.9 mm of rain accompanied by thunderstorms. HAL airport registered 6 mm and the Bengaluru Urban automatic station recorded 47.5 mm. Doddathoguru, near Electronics City, reported 55 mm.
According to IMD forecast heavy rainfall will occur at isolated places in Bengaluru Urban, Bengaluru Rural, Yadgir, Koppal, Raichur, Ramanagara and Mandya districts in the next few days.
The southwest monsoon is now expected to extend until mid-October and with little or no break in between, the northeast monsoon is likely to follow immediately. These are expected to last until December. “There may be no break in between,” Puviarasan said.
