In a landmark achievement for Indian scrabble, 14-year-old Madhav Gopal Kamath of Delhi clinched the 2025 World Youth Scrabble Championship, becoming the first Indian ever to win this prestigious under-18 global title.
Held in Kuala Lumpur, the 20th edition of the tournament—hosted by the World English-Language Scrabble Players Association (WESPA)—saw 218 participants from 18 nations vying for the crown. Kamath’s victory was secured in the penultimate round, completing an exceptional run with 21 wins out of 24 games.
Madhav, who also holds the title of India’s youngest-ever national champion after winning the 25th National Scrabble Championship in Mumbai this year, currently ranks 8th globally across all age groups. His instrumental performance was supported by his coach, Mumbai-based Neeta Bhatia, and backed by the Essar Foundation and the Scrabble Association of India (SAI), alongside Wordaholix.
