Sunday, June 14, 2026
ADVT 
International

Four Indian-Origin Kids Enter Australian Spelling Bee Final

IANS, 27 Jul, 2015 12:03 PM
    our Indian-origin children, including a pair of twins, are among 50 kids who have reached the finals of the Great Australian Spelling Bee contest, media reported on Monday.
     
    Scheduled to be aired on Channel 10 from August 3, the Great Australian Spelling Bee contest chose the finalists from over 3,000 children across Australia.
     
    "These kids are the brightest in their schools, classes and States," The West Australian quoted show host Grant Denyer as saying.
     
    Anirudh Kathirvel, twins Harpita and Harpith and Tej - all passed the three stages to reach the finals.
     
    In the first stage, the participants appeared for three online tests -- spelling, grammar and comprehension. The second stage included a Skype interview and spelling test.
     
    In the third stage, the students were tested on the bases of a live audition and spelling test.
     
    The students said they did not take any special training for the competition.
     
    Harpita's favourite word to spell was Cafune, a word of Brazilian Portuguese origin which means act of running fingers through a loved one's hair.
     
    Harpith's favourite word was 'Floccinaucinihilipilification'; one of the longest words in the English language it means the action or habit of estimating something as worthless.
     
    The Great Australian Spelling Bee witnesses children aged from eight to 13 compete in a series of word-related games and challenges.
     
    To advance, each speller must display a combination of speed, skill and smartness to deconstruct words they may never have heard before, let alone spelt.

    MORE International ARTICLES

    'MH17 jet was hit by missile shrapnel'

    'MH17 jet was hit by missile shrapnel'
    The recently downed Malaysia Airlines jet in the eastern Ukraine had suffered an explosive loss of pressure after getting punctured by shrapnel from...

    'MH17 jet was hit by missile shrapnel'

    The Gaza carnage: Israeli impunity and global helplessness

    The Gaza carnage: Israeli impunity and global helplessness
    It is difficult, almost impossible, to envisage an early negotiated ceasefire to put an end to the unconscionable carnage in Gaza. US Secretary of State John Kerry...

    The Gaza carnage: Israeli impunity and global helplessness

    Downing of MH17 may be war crime: UN

    Downing of MH17 may be war crime: UN
    The downing of the Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 in eastern Ukraine may constitute a war crime, UN human rights chief Navi Pillay said Monday....

    Downing of MH17 may be war crime: UN

    Trees saving 850 human lives a year in US: Study

    Trees saving 850 human lives a year in US: Study
    Trees are saving more than 850 human lives a year and preventing almost 670,000 incidences of acute respiratory symptoms, says an estimate...

    Trees saving 850 human lives a year in US: Study

    Australian, Dutch police try reaching MH17 crash site

    Australian, Dutch police try reaching MH17 crash site
    Australian Federal Police (AFP) along with Dutch police Monday would attempt for the second time to reach the crash site of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 in eastern Ukraine....

    Australian, Dutch police try reaching MH17 crash site

    MH17 crash: Malaysian PM to visit Netherlands

    MH17 crash: Malaysian PM to visit Netherlands
    Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak will visit the Netherlands Wednesday and meet his counterpart Mark Rutte for talks on the Malaysia...

    MH17 crash: Malaysian PM to visit Netherlands