Shrey Parikh, a 14-year-old from California, has won the 2026 Scripps National Spelling Bee after a dramatic spell-off finale in Washington. He secured victory by correctly spelling 32 words in 90 seconds, defeating runner-up Ishaan Gupta, who spelled 25 words in the same rapid-fire round.
The competition, held at DAR Constitution Hall, featured intense rounds of spelling among 247 participants aged 9 to 15. After 18 flawless traditional rounds, the contest was decided through a tie-break “spell-off” introduced in 2021 to avoid shared championships.
Shrey advanced through challenging words in earlier rounds before dominating the final sprint. His winning word was “bromocriptine,” a complex term derived from scientific vocabulary. The victory earned him a cash prize of $52,500 along with the Scripps Cup, reference books, and additional rewards.
ALSO READ: Karan Johar Unfollows Shah Rukh, Alia, Kareena On Instagram; Calls It 'Digital Detox'
Who is Shrey Parikh?
Shrey's win continues the strong performance of Indian-origin participants in the competition, with reports claiming that they have won a significant majority of titles in recent decades. Speller Shrey Parikh first debuted on the national stage in 2022, finishing in a tie for 89th place. He established himself as one of the competition's premier talents by securing a joint third-place finish in 2024 within just two years.
However, his performances were affected last year due to a sudden illness during his school-level bee, resulting in an unexpected early elimination that temporarily derailed his championship aspirations. Backing Parikh's elite performance was an equally impressive coaching setup. He trained under Sam Evans, the renowned coach behind each of the last three Scripps National Spelling Bee champions, alongside 2019 co-champion Sohum Sukhatankar.
The strong coaching duo put Parikh through strict training with continuous preparation, advanced language study materials, and high-pressure mock contests with other top spellers to prepare him for the national stage. The event is considered one of the most prestigious academic contests in the United States, testing young students on advanced English vocabulary and linguistic precision.
Essential Business Intelligence, Continuous LIVE TV, Sharp Market Insights, Practical Personal Finance Advice and Latest Stories — On NDTV Profit.