Like father, like son

More than 30 years ago, a Jefferson Junior High (Woodridge) 8^th grader spelled the word “milieu” correctly to win the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, DC.

Today, Dr. Balu Natarajan’s son, Hinsdale Middle School 6^th grader Atman Balakrishnan, hopes to follow in his footsteps as he prepares for his first trip to the nation’s capital in pursuit of his own national championship after winning the DuPage County Spelling Bee Feb. 28.

“It's amazing,” said Dr. Natarajan. “The competition has become so stiff over the past 33 years, and I'm really proud that Atman has qualified for the National Spelling Bee.”

Atman correctly spelled “portulaca” (a widely cultivated fleshy-leaved plant) in the 13^th round to secure the DuPage Bee title and the trip to Washington May 27-June 1. The final rounds of the bee will be televised on ESPN.

In an article that appeared in a local newspaper three years ago, Dr. Natarajan recalled his own experiences at the national bee where he finished 45^th as a 6^th grader and 63^rd as a 7^th grader before winning it all in 1985.

“It's very exciting and humbling to win,” the Hinsdale resident said in the article. “It’s emotional for me even now when I watch the spelling bee. Winning had a tremendous impact on my life. There was a lot of excitement about it in the Chicago area, and I was embraced by the Indian-American community.”

In that same article, Atman, who was The Lane’s spelling bee champ as a 3^rd grader at the time, was quoted as dreaming about being the national champion.

“My dad won the national spelling bee; that’s pretty cool,” he said. “I want to be like him.”

Now he has his chance.