Meet Bruhat Soma, Indian Genius, Who Won National Spelling Bee Contest 2024 in US

Success Story: Success stories serve as a testament to the human spirit’s resilience and determination. They inspire, motivate, and empower individuals to pursue their dreams relentlessly. Scripps National Spelling Bee, formerly known as the Scripps Howard National Spelling Bee is an annual spelling competition conducted in the United States. This year, Bruhat Soma, a seventh grader, claimed the US National Spelling Bee champion title along with a Scripps Cup trophy and a check for USD 50,000 after correctly spelling a 90-second spell off against the second runners up 12-year-old Faizan Zaki from Texas. Know more about Bruhat Soma here.
Who Is Bruhat Soma? Know Which Word Did Bruhat Soma Spell Correctly
12-year-old Bruhat spelled 29 words correctly in the tiebreaker, beating Zaki by nine, to win the title on Thursday night. His winning word was “abseil,” meaning “a descent in mountaineering by means of a rope looped over a projection above.” He is the 28th Indian-American to have held the title. The 12-year-old beat 228 other competitors, including 7 finalists on Thursday night.

Florida’s Bruhat Soma, 12, wins the National Spelling Bee

Florida’s Bruhat Soma, 12, wins National Spelling Bee. (Photo Credit:
Bruhat went first, and after he got through 30 words, it appeared like it would be impossible to beat. Faizan’s pace was more uneven at the outset. He attempted 25 words but flubbed four of them. In the 2022 contest, Bruhat took part and managed to tie for the 163rd spot. The following year, in 2023, he joined again and progressed to tying for the 74th position.
As per his profile, 12-year-old Bruhat is a multifaceted person with many interests and hobbies. He loves to play and watch basketball, and his favourite player is LeBron James. Speaking of his passion for sports, he also likes to play badminton and Ping-Pong. He also has a passion for music, playing snare drum in his middle school band. He is an avid reader who will devour any book on which he can get his hands.
The champions’ parents and sisters were also present at the event and said that they were very proud of their son’s accomplishment. Bruhat mother also shared that her son has a sharp memory and has memorized 80 per cent of the Bhagwat Gita.
As per news agency ANI report, the preliminary rounds took place on Wednesday, while the quarterfinals and semifinals followed on Thursday. This year, six of the eight finalists are of South Asian descent including Indian Americans.
Over the past 20 years, Indian Americans have come to dominate the Scripps National Spelling Bee – a group that makes up about 1.3 per cent of the US population. The annual event has been synonymous with Indian Americans, and this year’s cohort includes a majority number.