How Did India’s Madhav Gopal Kamath Become the World Youth Scrabble Champion in 2025?

Mumbai, Sep 2 (NationPress) - In a groundbreaking achievement for Indian Scrabble, 14-year-old Madhav Gopal Kamath from Delhi has secured victory at the 2025 World Youth Scrabble Championship (WYSC), making history as the first Indian to earn a prominent global Scrabble title.

Madhav, who holds the title of India’s highest-ranked Scrabble player and is the current national champion, triumphed against 218 under-18 competitors from 18 nations during the 20th edition of this prestigious tournament held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, organized by the World English-Language Scrabble Players Association (WESPA).

He clinched the championship in the penultimate round, finishing with an impressive record of 21 wins out of 24 rounds.

As in previous years, India dispatched a formidable team to the WYSC, consisting of 12 of the country’s finest young Scrabble talents, including seven boys and five girls, under the guidance of Mumbai-based player and coach Neeta Bhatia.

Among the participants, 15-year-old Suyash Manchali from Bengaluru, who was the runner-up in last year's championship in Sri Lanka, achieved fifth place with 17 wins.

The Indian team received support from the Essar Foundation, in collaboration with the Scrabble Association of India (SAI) and Wordaholix.

Harvinderjit Bhatia, President of the Scrabble Association of India, commented: “Madhav’s victory is a historic milestone for Indian Scrabble and a proud moment for the entire community. Our young players have demonstrated remarkable talent over the years, and this world title highlights India's increasing prominence in global Scrabble. We extend our gratitude to the Essar Foundation for backing Team India at WYSC 2025 and for creating a platform for such remarkable accomplishments.”

A spokesperson from the Essar Foundation expressed: “We are incredibly proud and excited about Team India’s momentous success at WYSC 2025, particularly Madhav Gopal Kamath’s exceptional win. At Essar Foundation, we believe that sports, whether physical or intellectual, can inspire, educate, and unite. Supporting these young Scrabble champions aligns with our mission to nurture talent and create opportunities for the next generation to excel.”

Reflecting on his victory, Madhav shared, “Being the first Indian to win a world Scrabble title is a dream realized. I’m grateful for the support from my family, coaches, and teammates, and I hope this motivates many more young players in India to embrace the game and aspire to compete at the highest levels.”

Earlier this year, Madhav made history by becoming the youngest ever national champion at the 25th National Scrabble Championship in Mumbai, and he currently ranks 8th globally across all ages. Having narrowly missed victory at both the WYSC and the Asia Cup Youth Championship in recent years, this landmark win marks both his and India's inaugural global Scrabble title.

Madhav began his Scrabble journey at the tender age of six. His remarkable talent and creativity on the board have propelled him into the elite ranks of the world’s top players, with the potential to break into the global top five before he turns 15.

This WYSC victory is expected to significantly boost youth Scrabble in India and inspire a new generation of players to pursue the sport competitively.

As Scrabble gains recognition as a sport in India, these accomplishments emphasize the vast potential of the country’s competitive youth Scrabble scene.

The Scrabble Association of India expressed gratitude to the Essar Foundation for its partnership, as well as to Assembly Travel for providing backpacks and Black Panther for designing the team jerseys.