Fourteen-year-old Indian-American student Shrey Parikh has won the 2026 Scripps National Spelling Bee after delivering a standout performance in the final round of the prestigious competition held in Washington, D.C. Representing California, Parikh secured the championship title by correctly spelling 32 words within 90 seconds during the decisive spell-off round on Friday, May 29.
The competition’s finale featured 10 talented contestants, but Parikh’s strongest rival turned out to be 12-year-old Ishan Gupta from Jersey City, New Jersey. Both participants impressed judges by flawlessly spelling all eight of their assigned words during the regular rounds. Since neither contestant made a mistake, officials introduced a special spell-off challenge to determine the winner.
During the high-pressure round, contestants were given 90 seconds to spell as many words correctly as possible. Parikh remained calm and focused throughout the challenge, eventually spelling 32 words correctly and setting a new spell-off record in the competition’s history. Gupta also performed exceptionally well by spelling 25 words correctly before ending with the word “cashaw,” a type of plant.
Speaking after his victory, Parikh admitted he was initially not very enthusiastic about the spell-off format because he believed traditional spelling rounds better represented the spirit of the contest. However, he said he quickly adjusted mentally, stayed composed, drank some water, and focused entirely on giving his best performance during the deciding moments.
Parikh’s journey at the Scripps National Spelling Bee has been years in the making. He previously participated in the competition in 2022, where he finished 89th, and later achieved third place in the 2024 edition. This year, his persistence and preparation finally helped him capture the national title.
As the 2026 champion, Parikh received prizes worth more than USD 0.05 million, including cash awards, travel credits, educational reference materials, a commemorative medal, and the iconic Scripps Cup trophy.
The three-day event took place at DAR Constitution Hall in Washington and featured 247 participants from across the United States and several international regions. Contestants represented all 50 US states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, the US Virgin Islands, Department of Defense schools in Europe, and countries including Canada, Ghana, Nigeria, the Bahamas, and the United Arab Emirates.
