Who is Faizan Zaki, winner of 97th Scripps National Spelling Bee

Hyderabad: Faizan Zaki, a 13-year-old from Allen, Texas, won the 97th Scripps National Spelling Bee on Thursday night by correctly spelling the French word éclaircissement, meaning “a clearing up of something obscure,” in the 21st round of the finals.

Zaki, the runner-up in last year’s competition, edged out 14-year-old Sarvadnya Kadam of Visalia, California, who placed second after misspelling Uaupés, the name of a South American river, in the previous round.

Zaki’s win was sealed dramatically. Without pausing to ask for details such as the word’s definition or origin, she confidently spelled éclaircissement, prompting cheers from the crowd and a confetti-filled celebration on stage. She was joined by her parents and relatives to celebrate the win and will receive a $50,000 prize.

“I don’t know what to say. I’m just really happy,” Zaki said following her victory. Her grandparents, watching from their home in Hyderabad, India, were also congratulated by organizers.

The competition, which began with 243 students aged 8 to 14, narrowed down to nine finalists after three days of intense spelling challenges. Zaki nearly exited the competition in Round 18 after stumbling over the word commelina, but a series of missteps by other finalists kept her in contention.

In Round 20, Zaki correctly spelled Chaldee, a dialect of Biblical Aramaic, and entered the final round solo, as spelling bee rules require a contestant to spell two consecutive words correctly to win.

Sarv Dharavane, an 11-year-old from Tucker, Georgia, finished in third place after misspelling eserine, a word referring to a medicinal antidote, by inserting an extra “s.”

Zaki’s triumph adds to a growing legacy of Indian American excellence at the Bee. Thirty of the past 36 champions have been of Indian descent, including Zaki. The trend began with Nupur Lala’s historic win in 1999.

This marks Zaki’s fourth appearance at the national level—she tied for 370th place in 2019, 21st in 2023, and now, in 2024, she’s the champion.

The Scripps National Spelling Bee, first held in 1925 with just nine participants, has grown into a prestigious academic competition drawing students from across the U.S. and countries including Canada, Germany, Ghana, Kuwait, Nigeria, and the Bahamas.

When asked about her plans after the win, Zaki replied with a grin, “I’m probably going to stay up the entire night or something.”