HYDERABAD: You think scrabble is a child’s game? Well, 13-year-old Vaishnavi Reddi has surely turned heads as she recently won the scrabble championship held at Landmark, Somajiguda. In an astounding display of vocabulary, this child prodigy from Alwal competed against 128 children and emerged victorious, making her parents proud.
“I started playing scrabble when I was eight and I keep practising with my elder sister and this has given me the edge over others,” says Vaishnavi who is also a voracious reader and loves fictional fantasy, her current favouite being The Raven Cycle by Maggie Stiefvater.
Landmark has taken up the initiative to bring back the frenzy of board games with this scrabble championship amongst children amidst their obsession with gadgets and the social media. Children of age group 6-14 participated in this competition. “I was a little unsure about myself in the beginning but I started believing in myself and played with a clear mind.” smiles this vibrant child who loves playing the piano. She actively participates in various co-curricular activities in her school – St. Andrews, Bowenpally.
The Class IX student had to clear two rounds before qualifying for the finals. “I check up sites like ‘Dictionary.com’ to brush up my glossary to learn new words and synonyms.” says the winner who bagged a trophy for the scrabble championship.
On being asked how does she manage to keep herself updated with new words and this upcoming prodigy quips “Learning new words and their meanings is super fun, I never procrastinate and complete my homework in school so that I have ample time to practice at home.”
Vaishnavi is planning to participate in the Spellbee competition too.