13-year-old Faizan Zaki felicitated in Hyderabad after winning 2025 Scripps National Spelling Bee

Hyderabad: Thirteen-year-old Faizan Zaki, the champion of the 2025 Scripps National Spelling Bee, was felicitated in Hyderabad on Saturday by a distinguished gathering of intellectuals, academicians and community leaders.

In May, Faizan correctly spelt the French-origin word ‘éclaircissement’ (meaning an enlightening explanation or clarification) to clinch the 100th anniversary title of the prestigious US competition.

Hyderabad connection

Faizan Zaki’s ancestral home is Hyderabad, with his grandmother, Noorani Begum, residing in the city.

His parents are Indian-Americans who originally hailed from Hyderabad. His father, Anwar Zaki, is originally from Khammam (Telangana), while his mother, Dr Arshia Quadri, is a graduate of the Gandhi Medical College in Hyderabad.

Felicitation

On Saturday, the Media Plus Foundation organised a felicitation at its auditorium, bringing together people from the community and intellectuals to celebrate the young prodigy.

Addressing the audience, Faizan emphasised that his victory was a marathon, not a sprint. He credited his success to consistency, sustained practice, and the unwavering support of his parents. His parents, who moved from Hyderabad to Texas, shared that they had effectively put their careers on hold for six years to aid his preparation.

In a moment of light-hearted brilliance, Faizan re-spelt his winning word for the audience and effortlessly tackled complex words suggested by attendees. For his exceptional academic excellence, the Media Plus Foundation conferred upon him the Heroes Award.

Chief Guest and former Law Minister Asif Pasha, along with other notable figures like Dr Altaf Akbar and Zafar Javeed, along with other attendees were at the event.

Impact of spelling competitions on children in India

Achievements like Faizan’s have a profound ripple effect on students within India, influencing them in several key areas:

1. Vocabulary and literacy: Competitions encourage children to move beyond rote learning, helping them to master etymology, word origins and precise communication.

2. Cognitive development: The preparation for competition helps to build high-level memory, concentration and critical thinking skills as students learn to decode complex linguistic patterns.

3. Standing on the global stage fosters public speaking skills and the ability to perform under high pressure.

4. Seeing one of their own succeed globally motivates Indian students to participate in these global events.

5. These events teach resilience and how to handle both victory and loss with grace and the importance of disciplined work ethics.