Scrabble and India

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A backgrounder

Courtesy: Perplexity, 2025 Ocr

Key Figures and Achievements

Akshay Bhandarkar — A Mumbai-born player and India’s top-ranked Scrabbler in 2025, he famously won the World English-language Scrabble Players Association (WESPA) Championship in 2017 while representing Bahrain, where he had lived for years. This made him one of the few Indians to have ever claimed the senior world title, bringing attention to India’s Scrabble potential.

Madhav Gopal Kamath — In September 2025, the 14-year-old from Delhi’s Sanskriti School became the first Indian to win the World Youth Scrabble Championship (WYSC), held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The event, organized by WESPA, drew 218 under-18 players from 18 nations. Madhav claimed victory with 21 wins out of 24 rounds, earning $1,000 and national recognition. His win marked India’s first-ever global Scrabble title across any age group. He is also the reigning national champion and the youngest ever to hold that title in India.

Suyash Manchali — The 15-year-old from Bengaluru secured 5th place at the same 2025 WYSC after finishing runner-up at the 2024 edition in Sri Lanka. Suyash’s consistent top performances have helped solidify India’s reputation in youth Scrabble.

Broader Indian Scrabble Landscape

Origins and Growth

Competitive Scrabble in India took root in the mid-1990s, with Mohan Chunkath (of Chennai) recognized as India’s first national champion. The sport now boasts more than 400 registered players, a steep increase from roughly 60 in the 1990s. Cities like Bengaluru, Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Goa, Hyderabad, and Pune have active Scrabble clubs.

International Representation

In 1999, Mohan Chunkath was the sole Indian representative at the Melbourne World Championship, but today India typically sends 6–8 players to major global competitions.

Promising Youth Scene

Youth talent has surged rapidly, with players such as Vihaan Singhvi, Khanak Singhvi, and Dahlia Verma cited among India’s promising young Scrabblers.

National Ranking Snapshot (2025)

According to the Scrabble Association of India (SAI) and WESPA rankings, as of October 2025:

Madhav Gopal Kamath — India No. 1 (rating ≈ 2068)

Sherwin Rodrigues — India No. 2 (rating ≈ 2049)

Akshay Bhandarkar — India No. 3 (rating ≈ 1766)

Major Competitions and Support

India’s players regularly compete under WESPA and in national events such as the Indian Open Scrabble Championships and the Wordaholix Scrabble League (WSL). Corporate entities like the Essar Foundation now sponsor Indian Scrabble teams, demonstrating increased institutional support.

Summary

India’s Scrabble journey has progressed from small club circles in the 1990s to producing both a world champion (Akshay Bhandarkar) and a world youth champion (Madhav Gopal Kamath). These milestones place the country firmly among the world’s emerging Scrabble powers.