A native of San Antonio, Texas, he received a trophy and a $ 50,000 check.
In the spell-off, Harini collided head-on with 12-year-old Vikram Raju, testing the contestants on how many words they could pronounce correctly in 90 seconds.
Harini spelled 21 of 26 words correctly and Vikram spelled 15 of 19 words correctly.
“I honestly think it’s very surreal, this is the fourth time in the bee,” Harini said holding the trophy on stage. “It’s a dream, it’s my fourth bee and I’m so high.”
Speaking about the first spell-off, Harini said: “At first I was a little embarrassed. I decided to take it boldly … I took a deep breath and told him to go out and do what I could. Whatever happens will happen.”
Spelling Bee, some years are turbulent because most elementary and middle school students pronounce words that make most adults stumble.
Preliminary matches began on Tuesday, with the quarterfinals and semifinals taking place on Wednesday.
This year’s host is LeVar Burton. The Emmy and Grammy-Award winner hosted the semifinals and finals of the event.
“Like many, I look forward to the competition every year and am excited to be a part of this wonderful tradition of celebrating excellence,” he said.
