Indian-American teen wins spelling bee title

Indian-American teenager Shrey Parikh won the 2026 Scripps National Spelling Bee, correctly spelling 32 words in a spell-off to claim the championship and set a new competition record.

The 14-year-old eighth-grader from San Bernardino, California, secured the title with the word "bromocriptine", defined by organisers as "a polypeptide alkaloid that is a derivative of ergot and mimics the activity of dopamine".

Parikh, representing the San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools, in California emerged victorious following the third spell-off in the Bee's history. His total of 32 correctly spelled words established a new spell-off record.

The champion attends Day Creek Intermediate School in California and entered this year's contest with considerable experience on the national stage.

According to his official Scripps National Spelling Bee biography, Parikh first competed in the national Bee in 2022, when he tied for 89th place. He returned in 2024 and finished tied for third place before capturing the title this year.

The victory capped years of preparation for the young speller, who has developed interests well beyond language and vocabulary competitions.

His official biography describes a student who enjoys tennis, reading, mathematics and chess. He also plays percussion in his school band and has performed on instruments including the snare drum, bass drum, timpani, toms, triangle, glockenspiel and marimba.

Parikh spends much of his free time solving mathematics problems or spending time with his brother and sister, according to the biography. One of his proudest recent achievements was qualifying for the California state Mathcounts competition this year.

The biography also notes his strong connection to India. Parikh has travelled to many countries and particularly enjoys visiting India to spend time with his grandparents.

The Scripps National Spelling Bee is one of the most prestigious academic competitions in the United States. It brings together top young spellers from across the country and several international locations after they advance through local and regional contests.

Founded in 1925, the competition tests spelling, vocabulary and language skills through multiple rounds of increasingly difficult words. Participants must generally be no older than 15 and may not have progressed beyond the eighth grade.

Students of Indian origin have been among the most successful competitors in the Bee over the past two decades, winning a large share of national titles and regularly dominating the final rounds. Their success has made the annual competition a closely followed event in Indian-American communities across the United States.

Parikh now joins a distinguished list of champions whose victories have become part of the Bee's long tradition of academic excellence and perseverance.