Kerala - Alappuzha   

Nehru trophy boat race on August 13

Staff Reporter

62 boats to take part in various categories; events to be webcast live

ALAPPUZHA: Arrangements have been made for the smooth conduct of the Nehru Trophy Boat Race at Punnamada lake here on August 13 at 2.30 p.m.

This was stated by Tourism Minister K.C. Venugopal and District Collector K. R. Muraleedharan, chairman of the Nehru Trophy Boat Race Society, at a press conference here today.

Mr. Venugopal and Mr. Muraleedharan said as many as 62 boats would compete in various categories at the race. In the main category for snakeboats, as many as 16 would compete.

The champions in the snakeboat category would be presented with the trophy that was donated Jawaharlal Nehru. They would also be presented with several cash prizes, which includes Rs one lakh from the Tourism Department and another Rs.one lakh from the Outlook travel magazine.

Prize money would be given to winners in all categories and to all the teams, which reach the final round in various categories. All participating teams would get cash prizes as consolation prize.

A performance by the parachute jumpers of the Sky-devils team of the Indian Air Force would be the main feature of this year's boat race. The parachute jumpers would jump from helicopters flying at a height of 6,000-7,000 ft. The 10-member team headed by Wing Commander Jayasankar would land in the lake near the finishing point of the boat race, said Mr. Venugopal.

Mr. Venugopal said the National Informatics Centre (NIC) would webcast the Nehru Trophy Boat race live. The webcasting could be viewed at the website of the race www.nehrutrophy.nic.in, said Mr. Venugopal. The webcasting of the event would start from 3 p.m., said Mr. Venugopal. He pointed out that it was the first time in the State that a sports event would be webcast live.

Print and visual media from all over the world would cover the event, said Mr. Venugopal. Doordarshan and the Amrita television would broadcast the event live. Galleries for the VIPs and the spectators were being readied. The rate of the tickets range from Rs. 20 to Rs. 1,000.

Various programmes would be organized prior to the race, noted Mr. Venugopal. A colourful pageantry would be held on August 10 at 3 p.m. The pageantry would begin from Bhattathiri Purayidom in the town at 3 p.m. The pageantry would feature display of various traditional art forms of the State and tableaus. A Vanchippattu competition would be held at the Alappuzha municipal ground at 10 a.m. on August 11.

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Nehru trophy boat race on August 13

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