68th edition of Nehru Trophy Boat Race to be held at Punnamada lake in Kerala

Tags: Sports Sports News

In Kerala, the 68th edition of the prestigious Nehru Trophy Boat Race is being held at Punnamada Lake in Alappuzha district from September 4.

IMPORTANT FACTS -

• Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan inaugurated this latest edition.

• 20 snake boats (Chundan Vallam) will compete for the coveted trophy.

• The competitions are organized in nine categories in which around 77 boats including snake boats will participate.

• 24 Shikara paddlers from Dal Lake in Srinagar are also participating in the boat race this time.

• Nehru Trophy Boat Race Society (NTBRS), is the organisers of the event.

Winner of Nehru Trophy Boat Race

• Pallathuruthi Boat Club won the 68th Nehru Trophy Boat Race for the third time in a row.

• The winning snake boat, named 'Mahadevikad Kattil Thekethil Chandan' crossed the finishing line in 4 minutes and 30 seconds, while the snake boat 'Nadubhagam Chandan' of NCDC Boat Club finished second.

• With the photo-finish win, the Pallathuruthy Boat Club topped the first round of the second edition of the Champions Boat League (CBL-2), an official Kerala Tourism.

About Nehru Trophy Boat Race

• The Nehru Trophy Boat Race is organised every year.

• Snake boats can be seen in this which is one of the most popular and famous tourist attractions of the state.

• It is part of an old tradition that refers to the rivalry between nations over the monopoly of the spice trade.

• Called chundam vallam or snake boat, the canoe carries 100 to 150 expert sailors and the boats are up to 38 metres long.

• Both male and female sailors participate in the Nehru Trophy Boat Race.

• The sailors who win the competition are awarded a silver trophy.

• It started with a boat race in 1952 on the banks of the Punnamada Lake near the town of Alappuzha in Kerala to welcome Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India.