Nehru Trophy Boat Race


The Nehru Trophy Boat Race is an annual vallam kali held in the Punnamada Lake near Alappuzha, Kerala, India. Vallam Kali or Vallamkaliy 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. 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 , Vadakkanody Vallam and Kochu Vallam.

History

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.
In 2019, Nehru Trophy Boat Race was also made a part of the newly constituted CBL - Champions Boat League 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.
In 2024 the edition was postponed due to Wayanad landslides and held on September 28.

Winners

As a Club United Boat club 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
YearClubWinnersCaptainReference
1952Nadubhagam Boat clubNadubhagam ChundanChacko Mappila Maathu Mappila
1954Kavalam teamKavalam ChundanThomman Joseph
1955Nedumudi NSS KarayogamPaarthasarathi ChundanKG Raghavan Nair
1956Kavalam teamKavaalam ChundanThomman Joseph
1957Ponga Boat clubNepoleon ChundanJoseph Cheriyan
1958Ponga Boat club
Kavalam Boat Club		Nepoleon Chundan
Kavalam Chundan		Cheriyan Joseph
TJ Job
1959Ponga Boat clubNepoleon ChundanCheriyan Varghese
1960Kavalam boat clubKavalam ChundanMaathachan
1961Ponga Boat clubNepoleon ChundanCheriyan Varghese-
1962Kavalam boat clubKavaalam ChundanTJ Job-
1963U.B.C KainakaryKainakary ChundanPK Thankachan
1964U.B.C KainakarySt. George ChundanPK Thankachan
1965U.B.C KainakaryParthasarathi ChundanPK Thankachan
1966Pulinkunnu boat clubPulinkunnu ChundanThommichan-
1967Pulinkunnu boat clubPulinkunnu ChundanThommichan
1968U.B.C KainakaryParthasarathi ChundanPK Thankachan
1969Pulinkunnu boat clubPulinkunnu ChundanCC Chakko
1970U.B.C KainakaryKallooparamban ChundanVarghese Antony
1971Kumarakam boat club
Champakulam boat club		Kallooparamban chundan
Pulinkunnu Chundan		Nellanickal Pappachan
Chakkamma Kannotuthara
1972Kumarakam boat clubKallooparamban ChundanNellanickal Pappachan
1973Kumarakam boat clubKallooparamban ChundanNellanickal Pappachan
1974Friends boat clubKarichal chundanPC Joseph
1975Friends boat clubKarichal chundanPC Joseph
1976UBC KainakaryKarichal chundanPK Thankachan
1977Thayankari boat clubJawahar Thayankari ChundanKS Varghese
1978Thayankari boat clubJawahar Thayankari ChundanKS Varghese
1979UBC KainakaryAayaparambu Valiya Diwanji ChundanRavi Prakash
1980Pullangady boat clubKarichal chundanRamachandran
1981No Winners---
1982Kumarakam boat clubKarichal chundanNellanickal Pappachan
1983Kumarakam boat clubKarichal chundanNellanickal Pappachan-
1984Kumarakam boat clubKarichal chundanNellanickal Pappachan
1985Friends boat clubJawahar Thayankari ChundanPC Joseph
1986Village Boat Club, KainakaryKarichal chundanSanni Akkarakkalam
1987Village Boat Club, KainakaryKarichal chundanSanni Akkarakkalam
1988Pallathurathi boat clubVellamkulangara ChundanTP Rajbhavan-
1989UBC KainakaryChampakulam ChundanAK Lalasan
1990UBC KainakaryChampakulam ChundanAK Lalasan
1991UBC KainakaryChampakulam ChundanAK Lalasan
1992Sreelakshmana boat clubKallooparamban ChundanVN Velayudhan
1993UBC KainakaryKallooparamban ChundanC G Vijayan
Mampalathuchira
1994Jet AirwaysChampakulam ChundanAntony Akkarakkalam
1995Alappuzha boat clubChampakulam ChundanJos Jhon
1996Alappuzha boat clubChampakulam ChundanAnil Madhavan
1997Navajeevan clubAlappat ChundanKP Poul-
1998Pallathuruthi boat clubChampakulam ChundanDomanic Kuzhimattom
1999Kumarakam town boat clubAlappat ChundanSampath Kaniyamparampil
2000Alappuzha boat clubKarichal chundanBency Moonnuthickal
2001Friends boat clubKarichal chundanTobin Chandy
2002Kumarakam boat clubVellamkulangara ChundanSanny Jakob
2003Navajeevan boat clubKarichal chundanThampi Podippara
2004Kumarakam Town boat clubCheruthana ChundanRaju Vadakkath
2005Kumarakam Town boat clubPayippad ChundanRaju Vadakkath
2006Kumarakam Town boat clubPayippad ChundanRaju Vadakkath
2007Kumarakam Town boat clubPayippad ChundanKunjumon Meluvallil
2008Kollam Jesus Boat ClubKarichal chundanJiJi Jacob Pollayil
2009Kollam Jesus Boat ClubChampakulam chundanJiJi Jacob Pollayil
2010Kumarakam Town Boat ClubJawahar Thayankari ChundanJoseph Philip
2011Freedom boat ClubKarichal chundanJiji Jacob Pollayil
2012Freedom boat ClubSri Ganesh ChundanJiJi Jacob Pollayil
2013Harippadu Star Boat ClubSri Ganesh ChundanArun Kumar
2014United Boat Club KainakaryChambakulam ChundanGeorge Thomas
2015Kumarakam Vembanad Boat ClubJawahar Thayankari ChundanJameskutty Jacob
2016Kumarakam Vembanad Boat ClubKarichal chundanJameskutty Jacob
2017Thuruthippuram Boat ClubGabriel ChundanUmmen Jacob
2018Pallathuruthi Boat ClubPayippadan ChundanJames Kutty Jacob
2019Pallathuruthi Boat ClubNadubhagam ChundanNarayanankutty N Udayan
2022Pallathuruthi Boat ClubMahadevikadu Kattil ThekkathilSanthosh Chacko-
2023Pallathuruthi Boat ClubVeeyapuram ChundanAlan Moonnuthickal
2024Pallathuruthi Boat ClubKarichal chundanAlan Moonnuthickal-
2025Village Boat Club, KainakaryVeeyapuram ChundanBiffy Varghese-