The St. Francis Boat Club wins the sixth President’s Trophy Boat Race

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[dropcap]K[/dropcap]ollam: St. Francis Boat Club rowed by Pattom Thuruth received the prestigious trophy of 6^thAnnual President’s Trophy Boat Race, which was held at the Asramam creek of Ashtamudi Lake in Kollam. Shri. Pinarayi Vijayan, Honorable Chief Minister of Kerala, inaugurated the President’s Trophy Boat Race in the gracious presence of Shri. Kadakampally Surendran, Honorable Minister for Co-Operation, Tourism and Devaswom, Government of Kerala.
The winners were awarded with a cash price of Rs. 1.5 lakh along with the bonus price of Rs. 1.75 lakh. Nadubhagam snake boat rowed by Global Neelivalam of Karunagapally got the second place in the race and were awarded with Rs. 1.25 lakh. Karichal and Mahadevikadu kattil snake boats were the third and fourth runner-up of the race were awarded with a cash prize of Rs.1 lakh and Rs. 75,000, respectively. Additionally, a bonus of Rs 1.75 lakh were awarded to the top eight snake-boat riders.
On the occasion, Fisheries Minister J Mercy Kuttiyamma, delivered the speech followed by the inauguration of a mass drill by Honorable Tourism Minister. At the event, other dignitaries who were present included N K Premchandran MP, Chairman of Organising Committee along with Mayor V Rajendra Babu, MP K.C Venugopal, Kodikkunil Suresh, K Somaprasad, M Noushad M.L.A, District Panchayat President K.Jagathamma, Former MP- N Pithambara Kurup, DTPC Secretary- S Santoshkumar and District Collector- Dr. S Karthikeyan.
Several boats in five categories, including 16 Chundan Vallam (snake boats), two grades of Veppu Vallam and Iruttukuthi Vallam each participated in the iconic boat race. The Track for the race was 1250 m long stretch of water body between the water column near Thevally Palace and the houseboat terminal. Various cultural programs were organized including a cultural procession and a Vanchipattu program in which more than 1,000 students sang together.
Speaking on the occasion, Kadakampally Surendran, Honorable Minister for Tourism, Government of Keralasaid, “The tourism department has always been keen on showcasing the diversified tourism products and services in order to attract the vacationers across the globe. Cultural events such as the iconic boat races have witnessed wider participation from the local people, over the years. We aim to expand the horizon of such grand events to position Kerala as the most preferred holiday destination globally.”
Speaking about the prestigious event,Dr. Venu V,IAS, Principal Secretary, Kerala Tourismsaid, “The spectacular boat race is one of the signature events of Kerala that represents the vibrant culture and tradition of the state during Autumn. Over the years, the grand boat race has gained popularity amongst the domestic as well as international travel enthusiasts.”
The Ashtamudi lake– beautiful calm water spread with enchanting greenery in Kollam is the gateway to the magnificent backwaters of Kerala. Kollam- the cashew paradise is famed for its unique representative features, including sea, lakes, plains, monuments, rivers, streams, backwaters, forest, and vast green fields. The eight-hour boat trip between Kollam and Alappuzha is the longest and most enchanting experience on the backwaters of Kerala.
Highlighting the significance of the race,Mr. P. Bala Kiran, IAS, Director, Kerala Tourism and Managing Director of Kannur International Airportstated, “The prestigious race has great significance as it is held on November 1^stevery year, which marks the birth of the God’s own Country known as Kerala Piravi (Birthday of Kerala) i.e. November 1, 1956.”
M Mukesh, MLA along with M Noushad, MLA inaugurated the Food festival followed by a 10-day long live photography competition, painting competition, Narayaniyam reading, Folk song, Boat song competition, music mela, tug of war competition and Hearings on the Folk and art forms.
The announcements regarding the President’s Trophy Boat Race commenced on 27^thOctober with the objective to preserve the pristine waters of Ashtamudi lake- ‘Save Ashtamudi’. A special film, titled ‘Switch on Duty’ was presented during the event. As part of the leading activities held in harmony to the boat race, a mobile photo exhibition was setup by Information Public Relations displaying photos by famous and veteran photographers from the district who captured the highlights of previous year boat race. On the occasion, media award categories were announced for the newspaper reports and photos published on various media platforms.
The President’s Trophy Boat Race as said was launched in 2011 by the then President of India – Smt. Pratibha Patil. Since its inception, the prestigious race has been a spectacular annual event held on November 1^st. The calm waters of the Ashtamudi Lake have become a racecourse when the majestic snake boats slice through the waters to lay claim for the prized trophy. The oarsmen striking their oars in unison to the high-pitched chants of boat songs and propelling their boats to the finish line has been a spectacular sight. This is the only race in the country, which is named after the president that reflects the cultural significance of the vibrant event.