ALAPPUZHA, August 23, 2026: The Aroma Chundan created history by winning the 72nd Nehru Trophy Boat Race at Punnamada Lake in Alappuzha on Saturday, August 22, 2026. The victory marked a remarkable debut for the newly formed Aroma Boat Club, which entered the prestigious snake boat race for the first time this year.

The final produced a dramatic finish, with Aroma Chundan powering ahead in the closing stretch to cross the finish line first. The winning boat completed the 1,380-metre course in 4 minutes 23.328 seconds. Nadubhagam Chundan of PBC Punnamada-NCFC Boat Club finished second in 4:23.448, just 0.120 seconds behind the winner. Veeyapuram Chundan of UBC Kainakary secured third place with 4:23.770, while Melpadam Chundan of Pallathuruthy Boat Club finished fourth in 4:24.015.

The official Nehru Trophy records identify the 2026 winner as Aroma-1, with Ranjith Sajeev Kochumon as captain and Aroma Boat Club, Paravur, Kollam, as the winning club.

The victory was particularly significant because Aroma Chundan and its boat club were making their debut in the Nehru Trophy. The team had already demonstrated its potential by winning the Champakulam Moolam Boat Race earlier in the season. Its success at Punnamada has now established Aroma Chundan as a major new force in Kerala's traditional vallam kali circuit.

The 72nd edition featured 71 boats, including 22 traditional chundan vallams, competing in different categories. The main snake boat final attracted enormous attention as thousands of spectators gathered around Punnamada Lake to witness one of Kerala's most celebrated sporting and cultural events.

The race was inaugurated by Kerala Chief Minister V. D. Satheesan and Karnataka Chief Minister D. K. Shivakumar. The event once again highlighted the cultural importance of Kerala's traditional boat races and the enduring connection between the communities of Alappuzha and the backwaters.

The Nehru Trophy Boat Race traces its origins to 1952, when India's first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, visited Alappuzha and was captivated by the spectacular boat race. He later donated a silver trophy, giving the event its name. Today, the annual race at Punnamada has become one of Kerala's most important sporting and cultural attractions.

For visitors to Kumarakom and the wider Kuttanad region, the Nehru Trophy remains an important highlight of Kerala's monsoon tourism calendar. The combination of traditional chundan vallams, synchronized rowing, vanchipattu and the vibrant atmosphere surrounding the Punnamada backwaters makes the event a major attraction for domestic and international visitors.

With Aroma Chundan's historic 2026 victory, the Nehru Trophy has added another memorable chapter to the long and celebrated history of Kerala's legendary vallam kali tradition.