Delhi’s 14-year-old Madhav Gopal Kamath became the first Indian to win a major World Youth Scrabble Championship (WYSC) 2025. This victory was historic for Indian Scrabble.

Madhav, the current national champion and top-ranked Scrabble player in India, defeated 218 under-18 players from 18 nations in the 20th edition of the World English-Language Scrabble Players Association’s (WESPA) annual tournament, which was held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Madhav finished with an outstanding 21 wins from 24 rounds, securing the title in the penultimate round.

Twelve of India’s top young Scrabble players, seven boys and five girls, accompanied by coach and player Neeta Bhatia from Mumbai, sent a sizable delegation to WYSC as they do each year.

With 17 victories, 15-year-old Bengaluru native Suyash Manchali, who finished second in the previous year’s competition in Sri Lanka, took fifth place.

The Essar Foundation, in collaboration with Wordaholix and the Scrabble Association of India (SAI), provided support for the Indian delegation.

“Madhav’s victory is a historic milestone for Indian Scrabble and a proud moment for the entire community,” stated Harvinderjit Bhatia, President of the Scrabble Association of India. Our young players have demonstrated tremendous promise over the years, and this world championship confirms India’s rising prominence in the Scrabble world. We are grateful to the Essar Foundation for helping to establish the foundation for these accomplishments and for supporting Team India at WYSC 2025.

“Being the first Indian to win a world Scrabble title is a dream come true,” Madhav stated in response to his triumph. I hope this encourages many more young players in India to take up the game and think they can compete at the greatest level. I am thankful for the support of my teammates, coaches, and family.

Madhav won the 25th National Scrabble Championship in Mumbai earlier this year, making him the youngest national champion ever. He is currently ranked eighth in the world for all ages. This historic victory is his and India’s first worldwide Scrabble championship, following their recent close calls at the WYSC and the Asia Cup Youth Championship.

When Madhav was just six years old, he began playing Scrabble. He is now among the best players in the world thanks to his exceptional skill and creativity on the board, and he could make it into the top five before he turns 15.

It is anticipated that his WYSC triumph will significantly increase young Scrabble participation in India and encourage a new generation of players to compete in the game.

These accomplishments demonstrate the enormous potential of the competitive young Scrabble circuit in India, where the game is still becoming more and more popular as a sport.

The Scrabble Association of India thanked Black Panther for creating the team shirts, Assembly Travel for supplying backpacks, and the Essar Foundation for their collaboration.