Indian Americans expected to do well.
By Bala Chandran
WASHINGTON, DC: The 2013 Scripps National Spelling Bee kicked off at the Gaylord National near here Tuesday, with computer-based preliminary screening tests. Onstage competition will begin Wednesday, and semifinals and championship finals will be held on Thursday.
This year, 281 spellers are taking part in the three-day event. Girls outnumber the boys: 147 to 134.
Once again, Indian American spellers, who have been dominating the recent editions of the Spelling Bee, are expected to do well.
The strong Indian American contingent includes two spellers whose siblings have won the Spelling Bee in previous years, Vanya Shivashankar, whose sister Kavy won in 2009, and Ashwin Veeramani, whose sister Anamika was crowned in 2010.
This year’s youngest speller is also an Indian American: eight-year-old Tara Singh from Louisville, Kentucky.
Indian American spellers have won the past five Spelling Bees and 10 of the past 14. Last year, 14-year-old California eighth grader Snigdha Nandipati was the winner, while Stuti Mishra and Arvind Mahankali finished second and third respectively. More than 40 percent of all the contestants in the semifinal rounds were Indian Americans last year.
More than a fifth of the contestants this year are repeaters, including two spellers who are taking part in their fifth Spelling Bee.
Most of the contestants this year are eighth (129) and seventh graders (93), according to the organizers. There is also a third grader and two fourth graders in the competition.
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