Chaya M V of Bengaluru bags the 'Spell Master of India' Title at SBI Life Spell Bee Season 14, thereby empowering India's youth to be spellbound and spark progress to fulfill their dreams

MUMBAI, India, Dec. 30, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- SBI Life Spell Bee Season 14, India's most prestigious spelling competition, an initiative by SBI Life Insurance and Mirchi, concluded with a thrilling Grand Finale in Kolkata. SBI Life Spell Bee Season 14 has crowned its Champion, with Ms. Chaya M V, age 13 years from Presidency School, RT Nagar, Bengluru, studying in class VIII bagging the 'Spell Master of India' National Title. Amidst an atmosphere brimming with enthusiasm and excitement, the event culminated in the announcement and felicitation of the National Champion, whose outstanding performance throughout the competition reflected exceptional skill, dedication, and a deep passion for language. The runners-up of this competition, Mr. Medhansh Vaddadi, age 13 years from Cambridge Court High School, Jaipur, and Mr. Yashwin Pachauri, age 14 years from Kennedy High Global School, Hyderabad, too demonstrated commendable skills at the SBI Life Spell Bee Grand Finale. These young minds stood out as deserving winners, showcasing their precision and confidence in navigating complex words.

The event was graced by Indian Actress, Fashion Designer and Television Presenter, Ms. Mandira Bedi, who enthusiastically hosted the Grand Finale of SBI Life Spell Bee Season 14 and revealed the winners. The National Champion of SBI Life Spell Bee Season 14 was awarded the prestigious grand prize of INR 1,00,000/- along with an all-expenses-paid expedition to Disneyland, Hong Kong, accompanied by their parents.

This year's competition theme, 'Be Spellbound', emphasizes the power of words and spellings to change the way youngsters of today express themselves. It signifies SBI Life's commitment to foster growth opportunities for India's young population. The theme aligns with the brand's core values, emphasizing the importance of exploring possibilities, shaping their growth story, and, thereby, their efforts contributing to the nation's progress.

Mr. Ravindra Sharma, Chief of Brand, Corporate Communications and CSR at SBI Life Insurance, commented on the success of the partnership, saying, "With the culmination of another chapter of SBI Life Spell Bee Season 14, we would like to congratulate not just the winners but also all the children who participated with incredible enthusiasm and grit. We believe in the transformative power of early opportunities, as they lay the foundation for a lifetime of lasting and meaningful impact. Through this initiative, we aim to offer young minds a platform that empowers them to break free and pursue their dreams, while also supporting the aspirations of their loved ones as they progress in life. We believe that each child has unique capabilities, and by providing the right platform, we hope to cultivate an environment that promotes continuous learning and development."

"At SBI Life, we are committed to empowering young minds, paving the way for a brighter future not only for them but also for their loved ones. This belief aligns perfectly with our core philosophy of 'Apne Liye, Apno Ke Liye'. With SBI Life Spell Bee, our intent is to create a legacy of constant support, which results in shaping the aspirations of the youth in the coming years. This initiative mirrors our resolve to empower the young minds and provide them the opportunity to spark progress and shine on a national level," he added. 

Elated on the win, Ms. Chaya M V, the 'Spell Master of India - SBI Life Spell Bee Season 14, expressed her excitement, saying, "When I won this, I felt truly ecstatic. When we received the first rounds of tests as MCQs, we threw caution to the wind and began with low hopes for the first 70-ish words. Those were — in my opinion — the hardest words by far, solely due to the added options. When I qualified for the regional and later national levels, I took immense efforts to reach the top ten! Overall, it was quite a surprising journey with a lot of wonderful people, places, and experiences. I never really practiced much, but I read a lot of books and have been exposed to a lot of different words, especially from fantasies. I truly feel that my obsession has led to this success. I have been blessed with lots of support from numerous people, including my family and teachers and also my friends, who have been pestering me with pronunciations ever since."

Ms. Pooja Gulati - National IP Director, ENIL, Entertainment Network India Limited, said, "We are really proud of the way the common vision between SBI Life Insurance and Mirchi is aiding students academically. In its 14^th Season, SBI Life Spell Bee has grown, and the competition and participants have stayed true to their promise. They left us spellbound. We look forward to making the initiative even bigger in the coming season, to make it far more exciting for spellers and viewers."

This season drew participation from over 2 lakh students across 500 schools in 30 cities, making it a multifaceted competition spread over five challenging phases. The competition commenced with intra-school contests, followed by inter-school competitions. Advancing through city-level and regional finales, the top 54 participants reached the highly anticipated National Finale, which was simulcast on Nickelodeon, Nick Jr., Sonic and HD+. It is also available to watch on Jio Cinema.

About SBI Life Insurance

SBI Life Insurance ('SBI Life' / 'The Company'), one of the most trusted life insurance companies in India, was incorporated in October 2000 and is registered with the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) in March 2001.

Serving millions of families across India, SBI Life's diverse range of products caters to individuals as well as group customers through Protection, Pension, Savings and Health solutions.

Driven by a 'Customer-First' approach, SBI Life places great emphasis on maintaining world class operating efficiency and providing a hassle-free claim settlement experience to its customers by following high ethical standards of service. Additionally, SBI Life is committed to enhance digital experiences for its customers, distributors and employees alike.

SBI Life strives to make insurance accessible to all, with its extensive presence across the country through its 1,082 offices, 24,939 employees, a large and productive network of about 264,058 agents, 79 corporate agents and 14 bancassurance partners with more than 41,000 partner branches, 140 brokers and other insurance marketing firms.

In addition to doing what's right for the customers, the company is also committed to provide a healthy and flexible work environment for its employees to excel personally and professionally.

SBI Life strongly encourages a culture of giving back to the society and has made substantial contributions in the areas of child education, healthcare, disaster relief and environmental upgrade. In 2023–24, the Company touched over 1.05 lakh direct beneficiaries through various CSR interventions.

Listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange ('BSE') and the National Stock Exchange ('NSE'), the company has an authorized capital of Rs. 20.0 billion and a paid up capital of Rs. 10.0 billion. The AuM is Rs. 4,389.5 billion.

For more information, please visit our website www.sbilife.co.in and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

(Numbers & data mentioned above are for the period ended September 30, 2024)

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