Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan Inaugurates the 68th Edition of the Prestigious Nehru Trophy Boat Race

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan Inaugurates the 68th Edition of the Prestigious Nehru Trophy Boat Race

 Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan presented the prestigious Nehru Trophy boat on September 04, 2022. The 68th edition of the race has been inaugurated at Punnamada Lake in Alappuzha district. 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. Nehru Trophy Boat Race Society (NTBRS) is the organizer of this event.

Nehru Trophy Boat Race

 Nehru Trophy Boat Race is organized annually. 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.

 The canoe called Chandam Vallam or snake boat carries 100 to 150 expert sailors and the boats are up to 38 meters 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.