Indian-origin teenager wins 2018 US National Spelling Bee

The winning moment came when he correctly spelled the word "koinonia" to win the title and take home $40,000.

Karthik Nemmani from Texas receives the championship trophy after winning the 2018 Scripps National Spelling Bee in National Harbor, Maryland, USA, 31 May 2018. Source: AAP

An Indian-origin teenager, Karthik Nemmani has won the 2018 Scripps National Spelling Bee in the United States on Thursday, becoming the 14^th consecutive American of Indian descent to win the championship.

The winning moment came when he correctly spelled the word "koinonia", which means Christian fellowship or communion, to win the title and take home $40,000.

14-year-old Karthik, from Texas, beat 515 spellers aged between eight and 15, from across the United States and eight other countries to win the 2018 title.

The 91st annual Bee, which began on Tuesday and ended on Thursday night, was held in Washington DC.

Students compete in the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Oxon Hill, Md., on May 29-30, 2018. Source: AAP

The show which is watched worldwide had 16 spellers, nine girls and seven boys in the final round.

Nineteen of the past 23 winners have had Indian heritage.

Navneeth Murali, 12, from Edison, NJ, left, and Shruthika Padhy, 12, from Cherry Hill, NJ in the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Oxon Hill, Md. Source: AAP

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