55th Nehru Trophy Boat Race, Punnamada Lake, Alappuzha, Kerala
55th Nehru Trophy Boat Race held in Punnamada lake in Alapuzha, Kerala, on August 11, 2007. ‘Paippad Chundan’, rowed by ‘Town Boat Club, Kumarakom’ emerged victorious in the race and won the Nehru Trophy signed by the first Prime Minister of India, Pandit. Jawaharlal Nehru.
Honourable Chief Justice of India, Sri. K.G. BalaKrishnan inaugurated the Boat Race. Minister of Home affairs of the State of Kerala, Sri. Kodiyeri BalaKrishnan and Ministers, Sri. M.K.Prema Chandran and Sri. Vijaya Kumar also attended the Nehru Trophy Race. After the inauguration, the Snake Boats and the boat clubs were introduced to the Chief Justice. Mass Drill by the Snake Boats followed. It was a beautiful sight for the guests and the tourists.
There were 16 Snake Boats for the competition. They were :
1. Nadu Bhagam Chundan 2. Vellamkulangara Chundan 3. Jawahar Thayankari 4. ShreeGaneshan
5. Anari Chundan 6. Karuvatta Chundan 7. Pattara Chundan 8. St.George
9. Valiya Diwanji 10. Chambakkulam Chundan 11. Karichal Chundan 12. Kallupparamban
13. Alappadu Chundan 14. Payippad Chundan 15. Ayaparambu Pandy 16. Cheruthana Chundan
Apart from the Snake boats, other small boats also had competitions. ‘Veppu Valloms – Grade A and B’, ‘Iruttu kuthi boats’ and other small boats participated in the race. There were boats with foreign ladies also for the race.
In the first heats of the Snake Boats, Nadu Bhagam Chundan, Vellamkulangara Chundan, Jawahar Thayankari and ShreeGaneshan, were the competitors. ‘ShreeGanesh’ rowed by ‘Kollam Jesus Boat Club’, emerged victorious. In the second heats, ‘Pattara Chundan’ rowed by ‘Kumarakom Boat Club’ emerged victorious from the four participating boats Anari Chundan, Karuvatta Chundan, Pattara Chundan and St.George. Pattara Chundan is a new Snake Boat and is participating in Nehru Trophy for the first time. The third heats saw the victory of ‘Karichal Chundan’ rowed by ‘St.George Boat Club, Kollam’, from among Valiya Diwanji, Chambakkulam Chundan, Karichal Chundan and Kallupparamban. Alappadu Chundan, Payippad Chundan, Ayaparambu Pandy and Cheruthana Chundan were the participants in the last heats. ‘Payippad Chundan’ rowed by ‘Town Boat Club, Kumarakom’ was the victorious boat.
The final of the Snake Boats were held as the closing event of the Nehru Trophy. The competition was between Shree Ganesh, Pattara Chundan, Karichal Chundan and Payippad Chundan. ‘Payippad Chundan’ emerged as the winners of the Nehru Trophy – 2007 for the third time in a row(Hatrick), that too, by the same Boat Club. The second place has gone to ‘Karichal Chundan’, third place to ‘Shree Ganesh’ and the fourth place was for ‘Pattara Chundan’. The third loosers final competition was also held and ‘Kalluparamban’ emerged victorious. ‘Vellamkulangara Chundan’ won the second looser’s final. ‘Cheruthana Chundan’ rowed by ‘United Boat Club, Kainakary’ won the Chundan looser’s final.