Hyderabad, May 30 -- A 13-year-old Texas student with Hyderabad roots has claimed victory at the prestigious Scripps National Spelling Bee in the US.

Faizan Zaki who is a four-time competitor and last year's runner-up spelled "eclaircissement" correctly in the final round to become the 2025 champion. Following the victory, he took home the Scripps Cup and USD 50,000 in prize money.

From early stumbles to spelling stardom

Zaki's journey to the national title began remarkably early. The seventh-grader from C.M. Rice Middle School in Dallas first competed at the age of 7 in 2019. He secured 370th position that year.

In 2023, he improved and rose to 21st place before becoming last year's runner-up.

His parents Zaki Anwar from Hyderabad a...