MAM
Indian girl outspells rivals in BBC competition
MUMBAI: A UK non resident Indian (NRI) 13 year old Gayathri Kumar has been crowned the first Hard Spell Champion. BBC had organised the competition in the UK.
Kumar managed to correctly spell words as diverse and difficult as apocalypse, mezzanine, troglodyte, claustrophobia, geisha and resuscitate to become Britain’s best young speller. The final round saw five finalists who were whittled down from over 100,000 spellers who took part in school competitions in the UK back in September.
She said, ” When I arrived at Television Centre I was so tense, I was just numb, and I didn’t even think I’d be going through to the finals.”
Hard Spell is developed with BBC Format Entertainment. The executive producer is Karen Smith.
Gayathri won a holiday, £5,000 worth of media equipment for her school and the Hard Spell trophy. Kumar had the following advice to offer for spellers and future Hard Spell contestants. “Write down the words you get wrong and carry the list around with you, looking at it when you have spare time.”
MAM
Allen Online releases new ‘Rise to the Top’ episode with MS Dhoni
Cricketing legend shares wisdom on second chances with NEET and JEE Advanced toppers.
MUMBAI: When life gives you a second innings, even MS Dhoni knows the real game begins after you’re exhausted. Allen Online has released the fourth episode of its inspiring podcast series Rise to the Top, featuring former India cricket captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni in conversation with two determined students who cracked competitive exams on their second attempt.
Hemant Sharma from Bhiwani, Haryana, improved his NEET rank dramatically from AIR 29,284 to AIR 2,095 in just one year and is now pursuing MBBS at AIIMS Raebareli. Veeram Shah from Mumbai raised his JEE Advanced rank from AIR 8,068 to AIR 2,600 and is currently studying Mechanical Engineering at IIT Kanpur.
The episode, available on the Allen Online YouTube channel from 7 PM today, dives deep into what a genuine second attempt demands not just academically, but mentally and emotionally.
Hemant talks about rebuilding after a rank that haunted him, focusing only on his weak areas instead of starting from scratch. Veeram shares how he battled FOMO by quitting social media entirely and relying on one trusted friend while his peers celebrated college life.
When the students asked Dhoni about handling setbacks, the cricketing icon delivered a powerful message, “If life is giving you a second chance, then utilise it. Hard work counts only when you are fully exhausted… How much hard work you did after that, that defines you.”
Dhoni also spoke about treating criticism as useful information rather than judgement advice that resonated strongly with the students’ own journeys of stopping comparisons and focusing on self-improvement.
Through Rise to the Top, Allen Online continues to create a valuable platform where aspiring students can learn directly from role models about the mindset, discipline and resilience required to succeed in India’s fiercely competitive exam landscape.
In a conversation packed with candid stories and life lessons, this episode proves that second attempts aren’t just about trying again, they’re about rising stronger. Perfect timing for students gearing up for their own comeback stories.
