Who is Faizan Zaki, the Indian-origin winner of the Scripps National Spelling Bee?

Faizan Zaki has officially been crowned the champion of the 2025 Scripps National Spelling Bee.

The 13-year-old clinched the title in a tense 20th round, outlasting fellow finalist Sarvadnya Kadam. His winning word? Éclaircissement. The moment he spelled it correctly, Faizan ran out of breath, dropped to the floor, and let the confetti fall as the crowd erupted in celebration.

“I can’t describe it,” Zaki, who hails from Texas and has roots in Hyderabad, said just minutes after his win. “It’s so amazing, getting to this point. Winning? I never expected this.”

In addition to lifting the coveted Scripps Cup, Faizan also takes home a $50,000 cash prize and a commemorative medal. He outspelled over 240 of the country’s top young spellers to earn his championship title.

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But who is Faizan Zaki? How did he prepare for one of the toughest spelling stages in the country? And on a broader note, why do Indian-American students continue to shine year after year at this prestigious competition?

Here’s a closer look.

Who is Faizan Zaki?

Faizan Zaki is no stranger to the Scripps National Spelling Bee stage. A seventh grader at CM Rice Middle School in Dallas, Texas, he’s been working toward this moment for years, ever since his spelling journey began at the age of 7.

Back in 2019, he made his debut as one of the youngest contestants in bee history, finishing in 370th place. By 2023, he had climbed to 21st. And just last year, he came heartbreakingly close to the title, finishing as runner-up after a dramatic spell-off.

“Obviously, I was really disappointed,” Zaki told USA Today. “But then I just had that sudden drive to keep studying. So that’s what motivated me to do better. And now I’m here. I have the trophy.”

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Faizan’s love for words started as a fun family activity. His parents, Zaki Anwar and Arshia Quadri, say he was already reading by the age of 2.

“He loves it. I mean he loves the learning and words, and so that has been like, you know, it’s just been very easy,” his mother told the outlet.

She added, “We just want him to be happy and, you know, experience that. You know the whole experience of going to the bee.”

His father echoed that sentiment: “And if he can spell a few words there and get to a few rounds, then good for him, that would be amazing.”

To sharpen his vocabulary, Faizan followed a new daily routine recommended by a representative from the Dallas Sports Commission, according to The New York Times.

But spelling isn’t all he’s into. When he’s not buried in word lists, Faizan enjoys playing video games, spending time with friends, and speed-solving Rubik’s Cubes. He’s also currently learning French.

Had things gone differently this year, he would have had one more shot at the bee. But now, he’s thinking about new challenges, maybe trying his hand at the Math Olympiad or exploring his interest in linguistics.

“I’ll have to think over summer what to do,” he said. “I’ll definitely make sure to get some new hobbies, since spelling’s over.”

Why do Indian-Americans excel at spelling bees?

Year after year, Indian-Americans have been making their mark at the spelling bee championship. Despite making up just 1 per cent of the US population, they’ve produced 29 winners since 1999.

So, what explains this consistent success?

A big part of the answer lies in the strong academic culture within Indian-American families. According to Pawan Dhingra, a sociology and American Studies professor at Amherst College, this “has to do with a firm commitment by families to spend the time and money necessary to help their kids fully prepare”.

These children perform well not only in spelling bees but also geography, math and other academic contests, he added.

Many parents in the community are highly educated — more than a third have postgraduate degrees, and another third hold college degrees. Most of these qualifications are in technical fields, especially engineering.

In an article for The Conversation, Dhingra notes that this educational background shapes how parents approach extracurriculars. Many viewed it as an academic achievement that is key to getting into top colleges.

Shalini Shankar, a cultural anthropologist and author of ‘Beeline: What Spelling Bees Reveal about Generation Z’s New Path to Success’, in an interview with The New York Times, explained how Indian-American parents look for hobbies for their children that align with academic growth. Spelling often becomes one of these extracurricular activities, sometimes even being passed down through generations.

Another reason, as per a BBC article, it is believed that  Indian-Americans  are “particularly adept at rote learning and memorisation”.

Sanjoy Chakravorty of Temple University in Philadelphia wrote for the outlet in 2016: “There are suggestions that they are particularly adept at rote learning and memorisation. They work in clusters and use ethnic and family networks to dominate a few professions. These properties are strikingly similar to what works for their children in the spelling and geography bees - education, memorisation, and networks.”

According to The Quint report, as many Indian-Americans are multilingual, it is “normal” for the children to be well-versed in the vocabulary of different languages and excel in English. Thus, it is common for these kids to know several dictionaries by the age of 12.

As Chakravorty wrote for the BBC, “The immigrant’s hunger for success, as individuals and as a community. The drive to work hard and suffer deprivations when needed. Anything that must be done to be both part of the mainstream and a shining example in it.”

With input from agencies