// Workers AI · dad joke modeWhat did the Nehru Trophy Boat Race say? "I'm a hull lot of fun.
| First played | 1952 |
|---|---|
| Characteristics | |
| Team members | 64 or 128 paddlers aboard per side |
| Type | Vallam Kali |
| Equipment | Snake boat, Iruttukuthy Boat, Veppu Boat, Thekkanodi Boat |
| Venue | Punnamada Lake |
| Presence | |
| Country or region | India |
The Nehru Trophy Boat Race is an annual vallam kali held in the Punnamada Lake near Alappuzha, Kerala, India. Vallam Kali or Vallamkali literally means boat play/game, but can be translated to boat race in English. The most popular event of the race is the competition of Chundan Vallams (snake boats). Hence the race is also known as Snake Boat Race in English. Other categories of boats which participate in various events of the race are Churulan Vallam, Iruttukuthy Vallam, Odi Vallam, Veppu Vallam (Vaipu Vallam), Vadakkanody Vallam and Kochu Vallam.
History
[edit]This boat race has its origin in the Kerala district Alappuzha and was inaugurated in 1952 by Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. The winner was awarded a trophy in the name of Jawaharlal Nehru.
Nehru visited Alappuzha on 22 December 1952 and travelled through the Kuttanad backwaters, where the people of the region received him with a fleet of snake boats.[1] An impromptu race of nine boats was rowed in his honour and the Nadubhagam Chundan won; Nehru then climbed onto the winning boat and rode it to Alappuzha.[1][2]
After returning to Delhi, Nehru sent a silver trophy shaped like a snake boat, bearing his signature and the words "To the winners of the boat race which is a unique feature of the community life of Travancore Cochin". The award was first called the Prime Minister's Trophy and later became known as the Nehru Trophy.[2] The first formal race for the trophy was held in 1954 at the Kainakary backwaters, and it was later moved to a course on Punnamada Lake at Alappuzha, where it has been held since.[1]
In 2019, Nehru Trophy Boat Race was also made a part of the newly constituted CBL - Champions Boat League[3] and Star Sports Network became its television broadcasting partner.
The 2020 and 2021 seasons of the league were dropped due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[4]
In 2024 the edition was postponed due to Wayanad landslides[5] and held on September 28.[6]
Course and format
[edit]The race is traditionally held on the second Saturday of August.[2] The main event is rowed on Punnamada Lake over a course of about 1.4 kilometres (0.87 mi), divided into parallel tracks marked with bamboo poles, with several snake boats racing at a time.[2] A chundan vallam (snake boat) is more than 100 feet (30 m) long and is paddled by a large crew.[2]
Winners
[edit]As a Club United Boat club Kainakary(UBC Kainakary) won the most number of trophies in Nehru Trophy boat Race With 2 hattrick. Karichal chundan has the most number of Nehru trophies, a total of 16. The current hat-trick title for continuously winning 5 times in a row is held by Pallathuruthy boat club . The fastest Snake boat was won by Karichal chundan rowed by Pallathuruthy Boat Club in the 2024 Boat Race with a time of 4.14.35
| Year | Club | Winners | Captain | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1952 | Nadubhagam Boat club | Nadubhagam Chundan | Chacko Mappila Maathu Mappila | |
| 1954 | Kavalam team | Kavalam Chundan | Thomman Joseph | |
| 1955 | Nedumudi NSS Karayogam | Paarthasarathi Chundan | KG Raghavan Nair | |
| 1956 | Kavalam team | Kavaalam Chundan | Thomman Joseph | |
| 1957 | Ponga Boat club | Nepoleon Chundan | Joseph Cheriyan | |
| 1958 | Ponga Boat club Kavalam Boat Club |
Nepoleon Chundan Kavalam Chundan |
Cheriyan Joseph TJ Job |
|
| 1959 | Ponga Boat club | Nepoleon Chundan | Cheriyan Varghese | |
| 1960 | Kavalam boat club | Kavalam Chundan | Maathachan | |
| 1961 | Ponga Boat club | Nepoleon Chundan | Cheriyan Varghese | |
| 1962 | Kavalam boat club | Kavaalam Chundan | TJ Job | |
| 1963 | U.B.C Kainakary | Kainakary Chundan | PK Thankachan | |
| 1964 | St. George Chundan | PK Thankachan | ||
| 1965 | Parthasarathi Chundan | PK Thankachan | ||
| 1966 | Pulinkunnu boat club | Pulinkunnu Chundan | Thommichan | |
| 1967 | Pulinkunnu Chundan | Thommichan | ||
| 1968 | U.B.C Kainakary | Parthasarathi Chundan | PK Thankachan | |
| 1969 | Pulinkunnu boat club | Pulinkunnu Chundan | CC Chakko | |
| 1970 | U.B.C Kainakary | Kallooparamban Chundan | Varghese Antony | |
| 1971 | Kumarakam boat club Champakulam boat club |
Kallooparamban chundan Pulinkunnu Chundan |
Nellanickal Pappachan Chakkamma Kannotuthara |
|
| 1972 | Kumarakam boat club | Kallooparamban Chundan | Nellanickal Pappachan | |
| 1973 | Kallooparamban Chundan | Nellanickal Pappachan | ||
| 1974 | Friends boat club | Karichal chundan | PC Joseph | |
| 1975 | Karichal chundan | PC Joseph | ||
| 1976 | UBC Kainakary | Karichal chundan | PK Thankachan | |
| 1977 | Thayankari boat club | Jawahar Thayankari Chundan | KS Varghese | |
| 1978 | Jawahar Thayankari Chundan | KS Varghese | ||
| 1979 | UBC Kainakary | Aayaparambu Valiya Diwanji Chundan | Ravi Prakash | |
| 1980 | Pullangady boat club | Karichal chundan | Ramachandran | |
| 1981 | No Winners | |||
| 1982 | Kumarakam boat club | Karichal chundan | Nellanickal Pappachan | |
| 1983 | Karichal chundan | Nellanickal Pappachan | ||
| 1984 | Karichal chundan | Nellanickal Pappachan | ||
| 1985 | Friends boat club | Jawahar Thayankari Chundan | PC Joseph | |
| 1986 | Village Boat Club, Kainakary | Karichal chundan | Sanni Akkarakkalam | |
| 1987 | Karichal chundan | Sanni Akkarakkalam | ||
| 1988 | Pallathurathi boat club | Vellamkulangara Chundan | TP Rajbhavan | |
| 1989 | UBC Kainakary | Champakulam Chundan | AK Lalasan | |
| 1990 | UBC Kainakary | Champakulam Chundan | AK Lalasan | |
| 1991 | UBC Kainakary | Champakulam Chundan | AK Lalasan | |
| 1992 | Sreelakshmana boat club | Kallooparamban Chundan | VN Velayudhan | |
| 1993 | UBC Kainakary | Kallooparamban Chundan | C G Vijayan Mampalathuchira |
|
| 1994 | Jet Airways | Champakulam Chundan | Antony Akkarakkalam | |
| 1995 | Alappuzha boat club | Champakulam Chundan | Jos Jhon | |
| 1996 | Champakulam Chundan | Anil Madhavan | ||
| 1997 | Navajeevan club | Alappat Chundan | KP Poul | |
| 1998 | Pallathuruthi boat club | Champakulam Chundan | Domanic Kuzhimattom | |
| 1999 | Kumarakam town boat club | Alappat Chundan | Sampath Kaniyamparampil | |
| 2000 | Alappuzha boat club | Karichal chundan | Bency Moonnuthickal | |
| 2001 | Friends boat club | Karichal chundan | Tobin Chandy | |
| 2002 | Kumarakam boat club | Vellamkulangara Chundan | Sanny Jakob | |
| 2003 | Navajeevan boat club | Karichal chundan | Thampi Podippara | |
| 2004 | Kumarakam Town boat club | Cheruthana Chundan | Raju Vadakkath | [7] |
| 2005 | Payippad Chundan | Raju Vadakkath | ||
| 2006 | Payippad Chundan | Raju Vadakkath | ||
| 2007 | Payippad Chundan | Kunjumon Meluvallil | [8] | |
| 2008 | Kollam Jesus Boat Club | Karichal chundan | JiJi Jacob Pollayil | [9] |
| 2009 | Champakulam chundan | JiJi Jacob Pollayil | [10] | |
| 2010 | Kumarakam Town Boat Club | Jawahar Thayankari Chundan | Joseph Philip | |
| 2011 | Freedom boat Club | Karichal chundan | Jiji Jacob Pollayil | |
| 2012 | Sri Ganesh Chundan | JiJi Jacob Pollayil | ||
| 2013 | Harippadu Star Boat Club | Sri Ganesh Chundan | Arun Kumar | |
| 2014 | United Boat Club Kainakary | Chambakulam Chundan | George Thomas | |
| 2015 | Kumarakam Vembanad Boat Club | Jawahar Thayankari Chundan | Jameskutty Jacob | |
| 2016 | Karichal chundan | Jameskutty Jacob | ||
| 2017 | Thuruthippuram Boat Club | Gabriel Chundan | Ummen Jacob | |
| 2018 | Pallathuruthi Boat Club | Payippadan Chundan | James Kutty Jacob | |
| 2019 | Nadubhagam Chundan | Narayanankutty N Udayan | [11] | |
| 2022 | Mahadevikadu Kattil Thekkathil | Santhosh Chacko | ||
| 2023 | Veeyapuram Chundan | Alan Moonnuthickal | ||
| 2024 | Karichal chundan | Alan Moonnuthickal | ||
| 2025 | Village Boat Club, Kainakary | Veeyapuram Chundan | Biffy Varghese | |
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- 1 2 3 "Nehru Trophy Boat Race". Kerala Tourism. Department of Tourism, Government of Kerala. Retrieved 1 August 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 5 "Nehru Trophy Boat Race". Alappuzha District. Government of Kerala. Retrieved 1 August 2026.
- ↑ "SC". The Hindu.
- ↑ "Alappuzha all set for Nehru Trophy Boat Race". The Hindu. 30 August 2019.
- ↑ "Wayanad landslide: Nehru Trophy Boat Race postponed; Here's the new date". Wayanad landslide: Nehru Trophy Boat Race postponed; Here's the new date. Retrieved 24 November 2024.
- ↑ "Nehru Trophy Boat Race to be held on September 28". The Hindu. 3 September 2024. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 24 November 2024.
- ↑ Race Course, Mass Drill, Boat Clubs and Winners
- ↑ "Nehru Trophy Winners". Archived from the original on 12 November 2008. Retrieved 8 August 2009.
- ↑ "Nehru Trophy Winners". Archived from the original on 10 February 2009. Retrieved 8 August 2009.
- ↑ "The Hindu News Update Service". Archived from the original on 19 August 2009. Retrieved 8 August 2009.
- ↑ "Nehru Trophy Winners". Archived from the original on 12 November 2008. Retrieved 8 August 2009.
External links
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