Shrey Parikh, a 14-year-old from Rancho Cucamonga, California, won the Scripps National Spelling Bee on Thursday night after a lightning-round tiebreaker against Ishaan Gupta. Parikh correctly spelled 32 words in 90 seconds, while Gupta managed 25. The victory earned Parikh a custom trophy and $52,500 in cash.
Parikh, who finished third in 2024, had lost his school bee last year while battling a fever. He has since dominated the spelling circuit, winning several online competitions. 'Right now I'm probably the happiest I've ever been,' Parikh said. 'I'm just so happy and relieved.'
Ishaan Gupta, a 12-year-old seventh-grader from Jersey City, New Jersey, was a semi-finalist last year and has another year of eligibility. Sarv Dharavane, a 12-year-old sixth-grader from Dunwoody, Georgia, finished third for the second consecutive year.
Parikh's preparation included coaching from Sam Evans, who has tutored the past three champions; Sohum Sukhatankar, a 2019 co-champion; and Vijaya Ganesh, a longtime coach. His father, Gaurav Parikh, noted that last year's school bee loss was 'a blessing in disguise,' teaching his son to handle setbacks.
The final featured strong performances, with the first 18 spellers all advancing. The streak ended when Aiden Meng of Orinda, California, misspelled 'catometope.' The bee moved to Constitution Hall this year, providing a more intimate atmosphere, though without the traditional confetti shower.
