Alappuzha, Saturday 8 August 2009: The Snake Boat Champakkulam Chundan of Kollam Jesus boat club won the fifty seventh Nehru Cup boat race held at Punnamada Kaayal today.

Champakkulam Chundan beat Payippad Chundan, rowed by UBC Kainakari, which came second in the race.

Sree Ganesh Chundan and Cheruthana Chundan were the other finalists.

Champakkulam Chundan had won the Nehru Trophy Boat Race seven times - 1989, 1990, 1991, 1994, 1995, 1996 and 1998.

In the women’s final, the Boat, which had nine international rowers, finished first.

Earlier, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi inaugurated the 57th Nehru Trophy Boat race, the country’s biggest and popular water sporting event, which commenced from 2 pm here today. A total of 52 boats, including 16 snake boats, would take part in the prestigious competition to be held on the waters of Punnamada Lake.

Sonia Gandhi, who reached Alappuzha recreation ground at 1:15 pm via special helicopter, reached the pavilion at 1:30pm.

Union ministers Vayalar Ravi, Kumari Shelja, Sasi Tharoor, AICC general secretary Mohsina Kidwai accompanied Sonia. Chief minister V S Achuthanandan, minister G Sudhaklaran, Kodiyeri Balakrishanan, M Vijayakumar, K P Rajendran, P K Sreemathi, Mullakkara Ratnakaran were also present during the ceremony.

As many as 17 boats, including one for exhibition race, will participate in the event apart from the 42 smaller boats in the ‘Churulan’, ‘Iruttukuthi’, ‘Veppu’ and ‘Thekkenodi’ categories.

Veteran ‘Parthasarathi’ will participate in the customary exhibition race prior to the real action,” the Collector said.

Ten women from UAE will compete in the Thekkeodi category along with women from Alappuzha. Actor Kalabhavan Mani will be the captain of ‘Karichal Chundan’, the winner of last year.

This is the first time that the event would see such an impressive list of dignitaries.

This event commemorates former Prime Minister Nehru’s visit to the state in 1952 when a pageantry of boats accompanied him on his trip from Kottayam to Alappuzha.

The first race was conducted impromptu at that time in his honour.
Nehru, thrilled by the performance of the oarsmen, jumped into a snake boat disregarding security arrangements and protocol. The boat proceeded to the jetty with him on board.

On returning to Delhi, Nehru donated a silver trophy to the oarsmen. It is a replica of a snake boat placed on a wooden abacus, with an inscription and his signature.