Indian-origin girls bag first, third spots in Scripps National Spelling Bee

Washington, May 29 (ANI): Kansas-based, Indian-origin girl Kavya Shivashankar, 13, has become America's spelling champion by winning the Scripps National Spelling Bee.

The budding neurosurgeon from Olathe took home more than 40,000 dollars in cash and prizes and the huge champion's trophy.

The word spelling which she became the victor on Thursday night was "Laodicean", which means lukewarm or indifferent in religion or politics.

It was Kavya's fourth appearance at the bee, after having finished 10th, eighth and fourth over the last three years.

Finishing third at this year's event was another Indian-origin girl from Illinois named Aishwarya Pastapur, 13, reports Fox News.

Second place went to 12-year-old Tim Ruiter of Centreville, Va., the only non-teenager in the finals. He misspelled "maecenas," which means a cultural benefactor. (ANI)