Indian-origin teenager Shrey Parikh, who lives in California, completed a remarkable rise by winning the 2026 Scripps National Spelling Bee title after years of rigorous preparation, elite coaching and several near-misses, according to Firstpost.
Firstpost reported that Shrey Parikh scripted an inspiring comeback story by clinching the 2026 Scripps National Spelling Bee championship in the United States after defeating fellow finalist Ishaan Gupta in a dramatic lightning-round tiebreaker.
The 14-year-old from Rancho Cucamonga delivered an outstanding performance in the decisive 90-second “spell-off,” correctly spelling 32 words to secure the championship, while Ishaan Gupta managed 25.
According to Firstpost, the victory earned Shrey a cash prize of $52,500, equivalent to nearly Rs 50 lakh. Shrey comes from a family that immigrated to the United States from Telangana.
Who is Shrey Parikh?
Shrey’s rise to the top has been years in the making. As reported by Firstpost, he first appeared at the national competition in 2022, where he finished tied for 89th place. Two years later, he established himself as one of the competition’s strongest contenders by securing a joint third-place finish in 2024.
Ironically, his progress suffered a setback last year when illness forced him to participate in his school spelling bee while battling a fever, resulting in an early elimination.
Firstpost noted that Shrey responded to the disappointment by dominating several elite online spelling competitions in the lead-up to this year’s championship. Many of the contestants he later faced in Washington were already familiar rivals from those competitions.
Away from spelling, Shrey has a diverse range of interests. His favourite word is “muntjac,” a species of small deer native to Southeast Asia. He is also passionate about music and plays multiple percussion instruments, including the snare drum, bass drum, timpani, toms, triangle, glockenspiel and marimba.
Preparation played a crucial role in his success. According to Firstpost, Shrey reportedly spent nearly five hours every day studying words and refining his spelling techniques. He also acknowledged the role of his support network in helping him achieve the title.
“My amazing community really motivated me and pushed me to become better,” Shrey said after the win.
Shrey’s Coaching Setup
His coaching team was equally formidable. Firstpost reported that Shrey trained under Sam Evans, who has coached each of the last three Scripps National Spelling Bee champions, alongside Sohum Sukhatankar, a former co-champion of the competition in 2019.
Together, they focused on intensive preparation, advanced study materials and simulated high-pressure contests against other elite spellers to sharpen his competitive edge.
And spelling may not be his only academic strength. According to Firstpost, Shrey also qualified for the California state Mathcounts competition this year, demonstrating that his talents extend well beyond language and vocabulary.
Ishaan Gupta, a 12-year-old seventh-grader from Jersey City, impressed throughout the competition and still has another year of eligibility remaining. Sarv Dharavane, a sixth-grader from Dunwoody, finished third for the second consecutive year, rounding out another highly competitive edition of the prestigious spelling championship.
ISSUE
Leave a Comment