The 71st edition of the Nehru Trophy Boat Race will be held on Punnamada Lake in Alappuzha on August 30, 2025. The Nehru Trophy Boat Race Executive Committee (NTBR) had decided to conduct the annual regatta, usually held on the second Saturday in August, on August 30. District collector Alex Varghese informed the NTBR and executive general body held on Thursday that the government had approved the executive committee’s decision regarding the new date of the race. Meanwhile, a subcommittee has been formed to prepare new and improved guidelines for organising the boat race. CK Sadasivan, KK Shaju, and RK Kurup will prepare the report for this subcommittee. The meeting decided to rope in an agency to find sponsors this year, as last year’s boat race resulted in financial loss due to a last-minute postponement.

The organisers will also try to get grants from the central government, besides the permanent grants allotted by the state government for the boat race. Three teams at the meeting showcased the technical upgrades of the starting and finishing systems. These systems would be finalised only after testing their efficacy on the lake. Meanwhile, the committee considered the recommendations to amend the rule that the winner should cross the finishing line; instead, touching the pole would be enough. Uniform paddles were also recommended for all the teams. A special committee has been formed to study these recommendations and submit the report.

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Meanwhile, the income and expenditure statement showed an expenditure of Rs 2.85 crore and a revenue of Rs 2.51 crore, including the government grant and proceeds from ticket sales. A debt of Rs 34.20 lakh had been incurred last year. The 70th Nehru Trophy Boat Race was postponed at the last minute due to the deadly landslides in Chooralmala, Wayanad. So, the infrastructure committee had to spend an additional amount of over Rs 20 lakh as the canopies were built and the tracks were readied again. Besides, the maintenance grant and the prize money for the boats weren’t distributed. The total liability of the Nehru Trophy Boat Race goes up to Rs 61 lakh when the maintenance grant of previous years is added.      

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