Brahminical traditions and predisposition to learning.

[P.J.]

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Indian-American kids extended their stranglehold on the US National Spelling Bee championship for the sixth year in succession, winning their 11th title in the last 15 years sparking off renewed debate on whether it is a result of preternatural disposition or parental obsession.

Mahankali, a spelling bee veteran who was placed third last year and ninth in 2011, beat Pranav Sivakumar of Illinois (felled by cyanophycean) and Sriram Hathwar of New York (defeated by ptyalagogue).

The win generated what has now become an annual bout of sociological scrutiny on why the Indian-American community has begun to dominate events such as spelling bee, geographic bee, and assorted STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) challenges. The National Geographic Bee title was also won last month by an Indian-American lad, Sathwik Karnik of Massachusetts. Eight of the final 10 there were of Indian origin.


Explanations for the Indian dominance range from the community having developed a winning habit and maintaining an ecosystem to sustain the momentum (like Kenyans and Ethiopians with long distance running), to more complex elucidations about Brahminical traditions and predisposition to learning by rote, encouraged by the so-called "tiger moms" and "leonine dads" pushing their kids.


Even in Sanskrit, actually there is a shloka, or a saying, [that] if you learn something, nobody can take it away from you," says Mahankali.


Sathwik Karnik, an Indian-origin boy from Massachusetts has won this year's National Geographic Bee contest after gruelling rounds testing his geographic knowledge about lions in Botswana, mountain ranges in Asia and port cities in England.

Why Indian kids win Spelling Bee: Habit, family, and ecosystem - The Times of India

 

[sangom]

Shri PJ sir,

I personally do not consider such quiz programmes as really important in the mental or career development of a child/youngster, nor as a yardstick of his/her real intellect. It is a competition for the kids and that's all. Much trumpeting is done because this is one thing on which the IAs can gloat over.

To bring in "Brahminical" here is ludicrous imo.

 

[prasad1]

Shri PJ sir,

I personally do not consider such quiz programmes as really important in the mental or career development of a child/youngster, nor as a yardstick of his/her real intellect. It is a competition for the kids and that's all. Much trumpeting is done because this is one thing on which the IAs can gloat over.

To bring in "Brahminical" here is ludicrous imo.

I agree with you. I do not think caste based adjectives should be used. Asian way of studying is by rote learning. May be that contributes to IA's succeeding in these kind of championship. I am proud of these kids and their parents for exploiting this opportunity.

But these kids are all born in USA of immigrants. It only extends to the first generation born here.

 

[P.J.]

I posted this from Times of India;

I agree with prasadji " I do not think caste based adjectives should be used" also with sangom Sir observation To bring in "Brahminical" here is ludicrous imo.