Bruhat Soma, a 12-year-old Indian-American student from Florida, made history by winning the Scripps National Spelling Bee. Soma correctly spelled 29 words in 90 seconds, securing the championship title and a prize of $50,000.
The competition ended in a thrilling spell-off between Soma and Faizan Zaki. Soma went first, spelling 29 out of 30 words correctly. Zaki, who attempted 25 words, misspelled four. Soma’s championship word was “abseil,” meaning a descent in mountaineering using a rope.
The 2024 Scripps National Spelling Bee Champion is #Speller47 Bruhat Soma with 29 correct words. A BEEdazzling effort in our second-ever Spell-off by #Speller47 Bruhat Soma and #Speller207 Faizan Zaki, who correctly spelled 20 words in the Spell-off. #spellingbee pic.twitter.com/VKczNb0qmB
— Scripps National Spelling Bee (@ScrippsBee) May 31, 2024
Soma’s performance was praised by the organizers, who highlighted his impressive memory and consistent accuracy throughout the competition. This victory marks Soma’s third participation in the Scripps National Spelling Bee, previously competing in 2022 and 2023.
Soma’s success is part of a long tradition of strong performances by Indian-American students in the Spelling Bee. This year, five of the eight finalists were Indian-American. Soma’s coach, 16-year-old former speller Sam Evans, helped him prepare for this triumph.
The Scripps National Spelling Bee, established in 1925, is known for its rigorous and high-pressure competition, with participants spending months preparing for the event. The competition remains a significant educational program in the United States.
