72nd Nehru Trophy Boat Race gets underway at Punnamada Lake

ALAPPUZHA: The 72nd edition of the Nehru Trophy Boat Race got underway on Saturday at Punnamada Lake, setting the stage for one of Kerala’s biggest sporting and cultural spectacles.

Racing began with heats involving smaller boats, while the much-awaited snake boat competitions are scheduled for the afternoon. Thousands of spectators are expected to line the banks and viewing galleries as the chundan vallams battle for the prestigious Nehru Trophy.

This year’s regatta has attracted 71 boats across different categories. The number of chundan vallams, Kerala’s famous snake boats, has increased to 22 from 21 last year.

Attention will be firmly on defending champion Veeyapuram Chundan of Village Boat Club, Kainakary, as rival teams attempt to take the crown from last year’s winners.

The competition also carries significantly higher stakes this year, with the prize money increased to ₹25 lakh from ₹5 lakh, adding further intensity to the battle on the Punnamada waters.

Women’s participation has also grown. Four boats have registered in the Thekkanodi Kettu category, which is rowed by women, compared with just one entry last year.

The Nehru Trophy Boat Race, held annually on Punnamada Lake, is among Kerala’s most recognised sporting traditions, bringing together competitive racing, community pride and the centuries-old culture of the state’s backwaters.