Brainfade Posted June 5, 2010 Posted June 5, 2010 here is another PIO achiever (following closely on the heels of Vijay Balse) - Anamika Veeramani wins the national spelling bee. 3rd straight PIO winner of this tournament. No more lamenting that PIOs don't make it big in sports - the spelling bee is on ESPN :winky: ha-R9M_4hnQ
Brainfade Posted June 5, 2010 Author Posted June 5, 2010 Video has been removed. I believe embedding is disallowed, but if you clicked on the screen, you can play it on youtube.
DomainK Posted June 5, 2010 Posted June 5, 2010 I believe embedding is disallowed' date=' but if you clicked on the screen, you can play it on youtube.[/quote'] No, it's not embedding. The video has been removed from youtube. Copyright issues.
Nova Posted June 5, 2010 Posted June 5, 2010 No' date=' it's not embedding. The video has been removed from youtube. Copyright issues.[/quote'] I can view it. Copyright issues in India may be :dontknow:
Brainfade Posted June 5, 2010 Author Posted June 5, 2010 Sorry guys ... looks like it's viewable in the US only.
Mamu Posted June 5, 2010 Posted June 5, 2010 :isalute::isalute::isalute: Good job kids! Now you wonder why -- Obama goes gaga over Indian and Chinese Kids? In fact till about 3 years ago -- the word 'Indian American Kid' was rarely stressed. It was mentioned -- but it was like -- oh an American who happens to be an Indian. This year Yahoo is putting a lot of emphasis on how Indian American Kids are blowing this competition away !
Sachinism Posted June 5, 2010 Posted June 5, 2010 http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=5254335 watch here
Mamu Posted June 5, 2010 Posted June 5, 2010 WASHINGTON – Shantanu Srivatsa and Anamika Veeramani sat nervously, side by side on stage. Once again, an Indian-American was going to win the Scripps National Spelling Bee. It was just a matter of what word and what time on Friday. Shantanu, 13, an eighth-grader from West Fargo, N.D., stepped to the microphone first and couldn't spell "ochidore." Anamika — showing the cool demeanor she kept throughout — kept her hands behind her back and rattled off the correct letters for the medical term "stromuhr." She didn't crack a smile until the trophy was presented. "It was too surreal," she said. "It was an amazing experience. I usually have a poker face, so that's what that was." The 14-year-old girl from North Royalton, Ohio, won the 83rd bee, claiming the trophy and more than $40,000 in cash and prizes — some of which she says she intends to spend. She also became the third consecutive Indian-American bee champion. Indian-Americans comprise less than 1 percent of the U.S. population according to 2000 census data, but they have an impressive bee winning streak — taking the trophy in eight of the past 12 years. "All of the past champions inspire me, they all have something different and they're all amazing people," Anamika said after the prime-time finals on Friday. She survived the round by spelling "juvia" — a Brazil nut — and then had to sit through a tense 3 1/2-minute commercial before spelling the championship word. "It was just really nerve-racking," Anamika said. "The commercial breaks didn't really help." The finals were preceded by an unpopular move that had some spellers and parents claiming the bee was unfair and had kowtowed too much to television. Concerned that there wouldn't be enough spellers left to fill the two-hour slot on ABC, organizers stopped the semifinals in the middle of a round Friday afternoon — and declared that the 10 spellers onstage would advance to the prime-time broadcast, including six who didn't have to spell a word in the interrupted round. Essentially, the alphabetical order of the U.S. states helped determine which spellers got to move on the marquee event. It's one of the pitfalls of the growing popularity of the bee, which has to yield to the constraints of its television partners. There were 19 spellers left at the start of the round, which was too many for prime-time. But when the round turned out to be brutal — nine of the first 13 misspelled — ABC was on the verge of having too few. "I don't feel bad at all for giving these children the opportunity," bee director Paige Kimble said. "Do I wish we could give it to 19? Yes, certainly, but that's not practical in a two-hour broadcast window. We know it's unpopular and we don't like to do it, but sometimes you can get into a position where that's exactly what you have to do." The Indian-American winning streak began with Nupur Lala, a 2007 graduate of the University of Michigan, who became famous for her 1999 win after the 2002 release of the Academy Award-nominated documentary "Spellbound." By then, George Abraham Thampy had won in 2000. Pratyush Buddiga took the title two years later. The streak continued through the decade: Sai Gunturi won in 2003, Anurag Kashyap in 2005, Sameer Mishra in 2008 and Kavya Shivashankar in 2009. Kavya, now 14, returned this year to watch her sister Vanya, 8, compete in her first national bee. She was eliminated before the televised semifinals. After Kavya congratulated Anamika onstage, she said winning the bee has less to do with nationality and more to do with a passion for words. "I can't really speak for other people, but, for me, it was just enjoying spelling," Kavya said. Kavya's father, Mirle Shivashankar, was hesitant to draw any firm conclusions, but pointed out the chain of events can lead to one speller inspiring the next. "Kavya's role model was Nupur Lala," Mirle Shivashankar said. "And now there are a lot of girls who look up to Kavya." Anamika's father, Alagaiya Veeramani, a civil engineer, said he had no clue why Indian-Americans seem to do so well at the competition. He guessed it has something to do with a hard-work ethic. "This has been her dream for a very, very long time. It's been a family dream, too," said Veeramani, explaining that his daughter studied as many as 16 hours on some days. "I think it has to do with an emphasis on education." Anamika has yet to start high school, but already envisions attending Harvard University and becoming a cardiovascular surgeon. She also wants to spend more time golfing, dancing and writing. All of which, she'll now have time to do. Spelling, at least competitively, is over for this eighth grader. Students are not eligible once they win the national competition. "I've been doing spelling for such a long time. After eighth grade, there are no more spelling opportunities. It's kind of sad," she said.
Brainfade Posted June 5, 2010 Author Posted June 5, 2010 On a distantly related note, I thought of this - the only ethnic groups that I don't hear forming "gangs" or organized criminal groups in the US are Jews and PIOs. I haven't dug deep enough, but I've heard of Chinese gangs, Korean gangs, Russian mafia, Polish gangs, of course African-American gangs, KKK, Mexican gangs, Colombian gangs ... Never heard a headline like "In Houston today, a gang war erupted between two violent gangs - the Telengana tigers and Hebrew hotheads - killing 5 ...."
cowboysfan Posted June 5, 2010 Posted June 5, 2010 Add one more to the list,Aadith Moorthy won the national geographic bee(sponsored by NGS).Aadith was awesome in the final (hosted by Alex Trebek).
Lurker Posted June 5, 2010 Posted June 5, 2010 I have never quite understood the fascination with any NRI, person or their kids, performance overeseas. Does it matter?? They are American citizens(in most cases anyway) for crying out loud. It is not exactly Spelling Olympiad where Indian kids are winning away the glories.
Brainfade Posted June 5, 2010 Author Posted June 5, 2010 I have never quite understood the fascination with any NRI' date=' person or their kids, performance overeseas. Does it matter?? They are American citizens(in most cases anyway) for crying out loud. It is not exactly Spelling Olympiad where Indian kids are winning away the glories.[/quote'] Oh, I understand ... and often feel the same way. But, from time to time, the ethnic connection surfaces. As a father of 2 daughters born in the USA, I identified with that little girl's parents. :--D
ludhianvi Posted June 5, 2010 Posted June 5, 2010 I have never quite understood the fascination with any NRI' date=' person or their kids, performance overeseas. [b']Does it matter?? They are American citizens(in most cases anyway) for crying out loud. It is not exactly Spelling Olympiad where Indian kids are winning away the glories. Sure it does.
Lurker Posted June 5, 2010 Posted June 5, 2010 Oh, I understand ... and often feel the same way. But, from time to time, the ethnic connection surfaces. As a father of 2 daughters born in the USA, I identified with that little girl's parents. Fair enough. However I can not help but wonder if any other country behaves that way. I mean I can not remember anytime reading on BBC, or Guardian, or Sydney Herald etc etc..about how British American, or Aussie American are excelling in studies etc. Movies yes maybe. Media perhaps so but spelling bees? I am doubtful China behaves this way either. Of course Pakistan, Middle East etc may do but question is who would we much rather behave as? xxx
punjabi_khota Posted June 5, 2010 Posted June 5, 2010 Fair enough. However I can not help but wonder if any other country behaves that way. I mean I can not remember anytime reading on BBC, or Guardian, or Sydney Herald etc etc..about how British American, or Aussie American are excelling in studies etc. Movies yes maybe. Media perhaps so but spelling bees? I am doubtful China behaves this way either. Of course Pakistan, Middle East etc may do but question is who would we much rather behave as? xxx as ourselves.
seedhi Posted June 5, 2010 Posted June 5, 2010 Fair enough. However I can not help but wonder if any other country behaves that way. I mean I can not remember anytime reading on BBC, or Guardian, or Sydney Herald etc etc..about how British American, or Aussie American are excelling in studies etc. Movies yes maybe. Media perhaps so but spelling bees? I am doubtful China behaves this way either. Of course Pakistan, Middle East etc may do but question is who would we much rather behave as? xxxLets get some perspective here, 99% of Indians have no reaction to the Spelling Bee etc, but there will always be a small percentage who celebrate these successes but given the huge number of Indians/NRIs/PIOs this translates into a significant number. Also, look at the figures 8 PIO champions out of last 12, and 3 in a row in the spelling bee. Its hard for anyone not to notice this dominance. The article posted in this thread on this trend not written by an Indian/NRI/PIO . Personally, I dont see anything wrong in appreciating these achievements as long as it does not translate into some racial arrogance. The winner this year seemed such a level headed girl, as was the one last year. I can guarantee you if British children had won 3 spelling bees in a row there would have been no end to the gloating in UK media. Had it been pakistanis they would have interpreted it as a sign from Allah and what not.
Mamu Posted June 5, 2010 Posted June 5, 2010 Lets get some perspective here' date=' [b']99% of Indians have no reaction to the Spelling Bee etc, but there will always be a small percentage who celebrate these successes but given the huge number of Indians/NRIs/PIOs this translates into a significant number. Also, look at the figures 8 PIO champions out of last 12, and 3 in a row in the spelling bee. Its hard for anyone not to notice this dominance. The article posted in this thread on this trend not written by an Indian/NRI/PIO . Personally, I dont see anything wrong in appreciating these achievements as long as it does not translate into some racial arrogance. The winner this year seemed such a level headed girl, as was the one last year. I can guarantee you if British children had won 3 spelling bees in a row there would have been no end to the gloating in UK media. Had it been pakistanis they would have interpreted it as a sign from Allah and what not. Show me a newspaper where this did not hit the headlines? Why just talk about British and the Pakis even we do. As a parent living I am extremely proud and am able to identify myself. There is a wry smile on our faces when our office mates go -- "You Indian Bastards you win all Spelling Bees." -- "What exactly do you teach your kids?" -- "What is the routine you follow to make your kids -- for one interested in these things and then make them competitive enough to win these." There is a feeling of pride in us --when other soccer moms go -- "Did you watch that yesterday -- the Spelling Bee?". BTW all these goes back to the discipline by which we were brought up, the values that were inculcated in us growing up, by our parents --and we are transferring them to the kids -- which seems to be paying healthy dividends. It is not for nothing Obama keeps referring to Indian and Chinese Kids when it comes to education-- more so math and science. Referring to Pakis -- I will talk about them some other day-- just to answer a lot of the Paki Morons right here on this forum who keep comparing themselves to India -- in every single line. They better realize India and Pakistan have hit a fork since 1975/1980 -- the Y of which has widenened so much,it is not even funny.
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