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…
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…
Introduction — a myth worth correcting If you’ve caught highlights from recent Scripps National Spelling Bees, one fact may have jumped out: children from Indian immigrant backgrounds win at remarkably high rates. That pattern has led to lots of speculation — including a persistent but misleading idea that success is somehow genetic. The reality is…
