Delhi's Madhav Gopal Kamath crowned World Youth Scrabble Champion 2025

NEW DELHI: 14-year-old Madhav Gopal Kamath has won the 2025 World Youth Scrabble Championship (WYSC), becoming the first Indian ever to claim a major global Scrabble title. Madhav, who is the reigning national champion, emerged victorious among 218 under-18 players from 18 countries at the 20th edition of the annual tournament held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Madhav clinched the championship in the penultimate round, finishing with an impressive 21 wins from 24 rounds.

15-year-old Suyash Manchali from Bengaluru, who was the runner-up at last year’s edition in Sri Lanka, secured fifth place with 17 wins.

"To be the first Indian to win a world Scrabble title is a dream come true. I’m grateful for the support of my family, coaches, and teammates, and I hope this inspires many more young players in India to take up the game and believe they can compete at the highest level," Madhav said on his victory.

Harvinderjit Bhatia, President, Scrabble Association of India, said: “Madhav’s victory is a historic milestone for Indian Scrabble and a proud moment for the entire community. Over the years, our young players have shown immense promise, and this world title validates India’s growing stature in global Scrabble. We thank Essar Foundation for supporting Team India at WYSC 2025 and helping create the platform for such achievements.”

The Indian contingent, comprising 12 of the country’s best youth Scrabble players, was supported by the Essar Foundation, in partnership with the Scrabble Association of India (SAI) and Wordaholix.