BIOGRAPHY

My name is AKASH VUKOTI and I was born in Maryland (in a suburb of Washington DC) in 2009. I am 9 years old and I live in San Angelo, Texas. I love language arts & entertaining people. I can read write 3 languages (English, Telugu & Hindi) fluently. My parents say that I have started reading before I turned 2 and my first spelling bee was when I was 2 years old. I became a member of AMERICAN MENSA at the age of 3 and a DAVIDSON YOUNG SCHOLAR at the age of 5 years.

Scripps National Spelling Bee:

I am currently the YOUNGEST BOY EVER to compete in the HISTORY of the Scripps National Spelling Bee at the age of 6 years and I have competed THREE TIMES in the SCRIPPS NATIONAL SPELLING BEE (2016, 2018 & 2019) until now. I have received wide “International Media attention” and addressed the “Press Conference” during the 2016 National Spelling Bee.

I have been the NEWS REPORTER for the BEE TV (Official Scripps National Spelling Bee TV) and KID CORRESPONDENT for GOOD MORNING AMERICA of ABC TV Channel at the 2016 Scripps Bee. I interviewed Dr. Jacques Bailly (the Official Pronouncer of the Scripps National Spelling Bee) as the ESPN REPORTER at the 2018 Bee.

TV Shows:

I was featured in the NBC Super Hit TV Show LITTLE BIG SHOTS for two seasons (2016 & 2017) and also in LITTLE BIG SHOTS UK in 2017. I have appeared as a guest on several TV shows: Steve Harvey Show, Jimmy Kimmel Live, Harry Show, Fox & Friends and The Preachers. I enjoyed working with Mr. Steve Harvey for 3 times.

On September 25, 2018, I was announced as one of the CELEBRITY competitors on ABC's Reality HIT TV Show “Dancing with the Stars: Juniors”. My professional dance partner was Kamri Peterson and we were mentored by Emmy nominated choreographer Witney Carson. Despite being the YOUNGEST (and from non-athletic and non-entertainment field), we danced for 7 weeks (out of 9 weeks) in the show and were eliminated 7th at the end of the 6th week on November 25, 2018.

Documentaries / FILM:

I have been featured in BBC & HBO Documentaries and in the Award winning Documentary FILM “BREAKING THE BEE”.  

TV Commercials:

I also did commercials for IBM, Amazon Kindle and the Scripps National Spelling Bee. 

Indian roots:

I am a proud American..... specifically an Indian American! I am so proud to say that my parents (Chandrakala and Dr. Krishna M Vukoti) immigrated to the United States from India. And so I am naturally in love with India and its languages and culture.

Awards / Honors:

In 2017, Telugu Association of North America (TANA) honored me with the “SPECIAL RECOGNITION AWARD”. North American Telugu Society (NATS) bestowed me with an honorary title “DHAARANA VAAMANA”.