A warm narrative following one family’s months-long preparation, with practical lessons for Indian and NRI parents Introduction: More Than Words It’s a quiet Saturday evening in suburban New Jersey. The Kumars’ living room hums with the low whirr of a ceiling fan and the occasional crackle of pages turning. At the dining table, 12-year-old Anika…
When the lights dimmed in American theaters in the spring of 2003 for the release of Spellbound, no one imagined the ripple effect the modest documentary would have on Indian-American households. Chronicling eight middle-school contestants at the 1999 Scripps National Spelling Bee, the film was funny, suspenseful, and unexpectedly inspiring. For thousands of Indian-origin parents…
A Quiet Revolution at the Microphone Each May, when the Scripps National Spelling Bee finals air live across the United States, millions watch children—some barely taller than the microphone—spell words that stump most adults. Since 1999, more than two-thirds of the champions have been of Indian heritage. The streak is so steady that newspapers call…
