Shrey Parikh Wins 2026 Scripps National Spelling Bee

Shrey Parikh, a 14-year-old Indian-origin student from Rancho Cucamonga, California, won the 2026 Scripps National Spelling Bee on 28 May 2026. The 98th annual competition was held at DAR Constitution Hall in Washington, D.C., and included nearly 250 spellers from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Defence Department schools, and five other countries.

Scripps National Spelling Bee

The Scripps National Spelling Bee is an annual spelling competition in the United States. It is organised for school-age participants and uses elimination rounds, oral spelling, and a final spell-off format in case of a tie.

Spell-off Format

Parikh defeated 12-year-old Ishaan Gupta of Jersey City, New Jersey, in a 90-second lightning-round tiebreaker known as a spell-off. Parikh spelled 32 words correctly in the spell-off, while Gupta spelled 25 words correctly, which set a new record for the competition’s spell-off format.

Winning Word and Prize Package

The winning word was “bromocriptine”, which Scripps defined as “a polypeptide alkaloid that is a derivative of ergot and mimics the activity of dopamine”. The champion received a 50,000 cash prize, the Scripps Cup, a commemorative medal, 2,500 from Merriam-Webster, $1,000 in flight credits from Delta Air Lines, and reference works from Encyclopaedia Britannica.

Important Facts for Exams

• The Scripps National Spelling Bee is held annually in the United States and is one of the best-known spelling competitions for school students.
• DAR Constitution Hall is located in Washington, D.C., and has hosted major national events in the United States.
• Merriam-Webster is a major American dictionary publisher, and Encyclopaedia Britannica is a reference publisher with a long history.
• Bromocriptine is a dopamine-related compound used in medical contexts and is derived from ergot.

Previous Participation

Parikh had earlier finished third in 2024 and 89th in 2022 in the same competition. He also lost his school spelling bee in 2025 while battling a fever.