Faizan Zaki, a 13-year-old Indian-American student from Texas, has won the Scripps National Spelling Bee after he spelt "eclaircissement" correctly, maintaining the dominance of the children from the community in the prestigious US competition.
Zaki bested Sarvadnya Kadam to win the 2025 Scripps National Spelling Bee on Thursday night.
A 7th-grade student at C M Rice Middle School, Zaki finished second in 2024 in a spell-off to another Indian-American Bruhat Soma.
This was Zaki's fourth time participating in the Scripps National Spelling Bee.
Zaki earned the prestigious title in round 21 when he correctly spelt "eclaircissement," which is defined as "the clearing up of something obscure: enlightenment."
He outlasted eight other accomplished spellers to win the title on Thursday night.
As he spelt the winning word, Zaki fell on the stage in joy as confetti rained down.
"I don't know what to say. I'm just really happy," he said.
Organizers congratulated Zaki's parents and his grandparents, who were watching the competition from their home in Hyderabad.
"I can't describe it," Zaki said minutes later. "It's so amazing, getting to this point. Winning? I never expected this."
Adam Symson, president and CEO of the E W Scripps Company, presented the championship trophy.
"Faizan exemplified the determination that defines a champion," said Symson.
His unwavering focus and preparation led to a well-earned victory tonight on the Bee's largest stage, he said.
"In this landmark 100th year of the Scripps National Spelling Bee, Scripps is honored to celebrate Faizan's extraordinary achievement as well as the spellers throughout the Bee's history who continue to inspire millions," he said.
"Their stories remind us of the shared joy in cheering for their success, reinforcing the Bee's legacy as a beloved tradition that, for a century, has championed connection, resilience and the limitless potential of young minds," Symson said.
The first Spelling Bee competition was held in 1925 in Washington, DC, and only nine kids participated, according to Scripps. This year, more than 200 students competed.
Zaki is only the fifth speller in Bee history to win after coming in second place the year before. He tied for 21st place in 2023 and 370th place in 2019.
Zaki will take home $50,000, a medal and a trophy.
He will receive a $2,500 prize and a reference library from the Bee's dictionary partner, Merriam-Webster.
Kadam of Visalia, California, placed second in the competition and will receive $25,000.
Dharavane of Dunwoody, Georgia, will receive $15,000.
Thirty of the past 36 champions of the Scripps National Spelling Bee have been Indian American. Nupur Lala was the first Indian-American to win the competition in 1999.
