The first Indian to win the National Spelling Bee contest was Balu Natarajan in 1985 and the winning word was “milieu”.
Here is the list of Indian-American Kids who have won the competition since 2008.
2022 – Winner: Chaitra Thummala; Word: moorhen – an aquatic bird of the rail family that is widespread in the New World, Eurasia, and Africa and that has a red bill, red frontal area on the head, and a white band on the flanks
2019: Winners: Rishik Gandhasri, Erin Howard, Saketh Sundar (Co-Champions); Word: Bougainvillea – a tropical climbing plant with colorful bracts
2018: Winner: Karthik Nemmani; Word: koinonia – Christian fellowship or communion, emphasizing the ideal of community and mutual support
2017: Winner: Ananya Vinay; Word: marocain – a type of fabric made from silk or rayon, often used for evening dresses
2016: Winners: Nohar Janga and Jairam Hathwar (Co-Champions); Words: Feldenkrais – a system of gentle movements designed to increase flexibility and coordination / Gesellschaft – a rationally developed mechanistic type of social relationship characterized by impersonally contracted associations between persons
2015: Winners: Vanya Shivashankar and Gokul Venkatachalam (co-Champions); Words: scherenschnitte – the art of cutting paper into decorative designs / nunatak – a hill or mountain completely surrounded by glacial ice
2014: Winners: Sriram Hathwar and Ansun Sujoe (co-Champions); Words: stichomythia – a dramatic dialogue in which two characters speak alternate lines rapidly / feuilleton – a part of a European newspaper or magazine devoted to material designed to entertain the general reader: a feature section
2013: Winner: Arvind Mahankali; Word: knaidel – a small, usually round dumpling, often made of matzo meal and served in soup
2012: Winner: Snigdha Nandipati; Word: guetapens – an ambush or trap
2011: Winner: Sukanya Roy; Word: cymotrichous – having wavy hair
2010: Winner: Anamika Veeramani; Word: stromuhr – an instrument used to measure the rate of blood flow
2009: Winner: Kavya Shivashankar; Word: Laodicean – characterized by difference or a lack of concern, especially regarding religious matters
2008: Winner Sameer Mishra; Word: guerdon – a reward of recompense for a particular action
