Kerala’s famed Nehru Trophy boat race to be held in UAE

The race, named after former prime minister of India Jawaharlal Nehru, will be held on March 27, 2022 in partnership with International Marine Sports Club Ras Al Khaimah and TheBrew Media FZC LLC, at the Al Marjan Island.

The organizers of the UAE Nehru Trophy boat race met with Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan who is on a tour of the UAE and briefed him about the same.

Vijayan wished the organizers success for the event and ensured his support. He also unveiled the brochure of the UAE Nehru Trophy 2022 during the meet. He added that he was excited to hear that Kerala’s legacy will be shared with an international audience, the statement said.

The Nehru Trophy boat race is amongst the pioneer snake boat races in Kerala where millions of audiences gather to watch nearly 100 feet long boats compete against one another to the tunes of old folk songs.

The name of the water race was coined following Jawaharlal Nehru’s visit to Kerala in 1952. He was so enchanted by the sight of the majestic snake boats, that he leapt into one of the snake boats himself, ignoring his security cover.

Later on in the year, he donated a silver trophy in the form of a snake boat as a gift for the memories of the time he spent there and subsequently the boat race was named after him.