Spelling Bee champion Faizan Zaki’s grandmother watches event live from Khammam, India

Hyderabad: After seven years of relentless preparation, dictionary dives and mental endurance, 13-year-old Faizan Zaki emerged as 2025 Scripps National Spelling Bee champion. His win not only brought pride to Allen, Texas, where he currently lives, but also sparked celebrations in Khammam and Hyderabad, the two cities that shaped his family’s roots.

Although Faizan was born and raised in the US, his ties to Telangana run deep. His paternal hometown is Khammam, where his grandmother — now 83 — still lives. His mother, Dr Arshia Quadri, hails from Hyderabad and is an alumna of Gandhi Medical College.

“Faizan has visited Khammam and Hyderabad several times, the last being in July 2023,” said his father, Anwar Zaki, who has been living in the US since 1997. “This year, we skipped the trip because of the intense preparation for the competition, but we plan to visit again soon.”

Faizan’s uncle, Javeed Anwar, who is settled in Dubai, shared how the whole family back in India, Dubai, and the US were glued to the TV for three days. “My 83-year-old mother watched the event live from Khammam. It’s a proud moment for all of us,” he shared.

Faizan's win at the Scripps Bee, held in Oxon Hill, Maryland, came after years of persistent effort. He finished as runner-up last year—a rare feat in itself. What sets Faizan apart is the fact that this was his seventh consecutive year participating in the Bee, having started as a toddler at the age of two, when most kids are just learning to pronounce basic words.

“On school days, Faizan dedicated at least four hours each day to prep, while weekends saw his routine stretch beyond eight hours. The grind involved extensive work with coaches, diagnostic sessions to identify tricky word patterns, and exhaustive sessions revising obscure words. It’s not just spelling—it’s about understanding roots, origins, pronunciation rules, and exceptions,” his father added.

This methodical and high-pressure regimen meant that trips to Hyderabad and Khammam have been few and far between in recent years. “It’s been hard not to visit family, because the commitment this competition demands is huge. Hopefully, now that it’s done, we can spend more time in India,” his father said.