Kerala’s prestigious Nehru Trophy boat race will be held in the UAE this year. On March 27, contestants will have their oars ready for the strenuous race that takes place at Al Marjan Island in Ras Al Khaimah.

The organisers of the UAE Nehru Trophy met in Dubai with Kerala’s Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who is on a tour of the UAE, and briefed him about the upcoming event. Pinarayi Vijayan wished the organisers success for the event and assured his support.

The mythos around the race is quite a story in itself. The race earns its namesake after former Prime Minister of India Jawarharlal Nehru visited Kerala in 1952 and was enchanted by the snake-like boats and leapt into one himself, ignoring security protocols.

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.

Rich history and competition surround this distinguished event, will you be there to cheer the teams on?