--- title: "Aroma Chundan wins Nehru Trophy on debut" url: https://projectchintan.com/article/aroma-chundan-nehru-trophy-debut-gji42 publisher: Project Chintan author: Project Chintan Newsroom section: Sports published: 2026-08-22T16:02:33.045Z modified: 2026-08-23T05:00:06.871Z language: en-IN --- # Aroma Chundan wins Nehru Trophy on debut Aroma Chundan, rowing for Aroma Boat Club, won the 72nd Nehru Trophy Boat Race at Punnamada Lake in Alappuzha with a time of 4:23.328, beating Nadubhagam Chundan by 0.120 seconds in a dramatic finish. The boat club, backed by the Aroma Business Group, marked a notable debut season with this victory. ## Key takeaways - Aroma Chundan won the 72nd Nehru Trophy Boat Race with a time of 4:23.328. - Nadubhagam Chundan finished second, 0.120 seconds behind Aroma. - Veeyapuram Chundan was third and Melpadam Chundan fourth in the final results. - Aroma Chundan is part of the Aroma Boat Club from Kollam, in its debut season. - The event featured 71 boats, including 22 snake boats, at Punnamada Lake. ## What Happened Aroma Chundan, carrying No. 10 and representing the Aroma Boat Club from Kollam, claimed first place at the 72nd Nehru Trophy Boat Race held on Punnamada Lake in Alappuzha on Saturday. The winning time was 4:23.328, with Nadubhagam Chundan (No. 13) finishing second in 4:23.448, a margin of 0.120 seconds in the final. Veeyapuram Chundan placed third at 4:23.770, and Melpadam Chundan was fourth with a time reported as 4:24.05 or 4:24.015 depending on the source. Aroma Chundan’s victory capped a debut season that had already seen the team win the Champakulam Moolam Boat Race earlier in the season. Aroma Chundan is owned by the Aroma business group, and its leadership includes Kollam-based chairman P K Sajeev, who serves as president; Sajeesh Kurup as secretary; and Aneesh Jacob as treasurer. The final was contested by four finalists selected from heats in which Aroma Chundan topped the fourth heat, securing its place in the final. In the broader event, 71 boats competed across categories, including 22 snake boats (Chundan Vallam). The race took place on the traditional second Saturday of August schedule, with inaugurations and security preparations noted by officials prior to the event. ## Why It Matters The victory represents a historic moment for the Aroma Boat Club and for Kollam, marking the first Nehru Trophy win for the district. The triumph also signals a strong debut season for Aroma Chundan, which had already announced its arrival by winning the Champakulam Moolam race at the start of the season, suggesting a rising competitive profile for the club within Kerala’s demanding boat-racing circuit. ## Background The Nehru Trophy Boat Race is a longstanding cultural and sporting event in Kerala, rooted in the state’s maritime heritage. The 72nd edition took place at Punnamada Lake, Alappuzha, with political leaders in attendance for the inauguration and local administration coordinating logistics and security to accommodate thousands of spectators. The race order in heats demonstrated early season strength in various crews, culminating in Aroma Chundan’s dramatic late finish. ## Key Facts - Aroma Chundan finished first with a time of 4:23.328. - Nadubhagam Chundan finished second with a time of 4:23.448. - Veeyapuram Chundan finished third with a time of 4:23.770. - Melpadam Chundan finished fourth with a time around 4:24.05–4:24.015, per source. - The final margin between first and second was 0.120 seconds. - The Aroma Boat Club is led by P K Sajeev (president); Sajeesh Kurup is secretary; Aneesh Jacob is treasurer. - Aroma Chundan’s debut season included winning the Champakulam Moolam Boat Race earlier in the season. - 71 boats competed in the event, including 22 snake boats; the event was held at Punnamada Lake, Alappuzha. ## What Happens Next Officials did not publish immediate next steps specific to Aroma Chundan beyond the 2026 season conduct. The broader circuit typically features further heats and races in the Kerala boat-racing schedule, with ongoing interest in how the new club will fare in future editions and potential improvements in performance and club organization. --- Canonical: https://projectchintan.com/article/aroma-chundan-nehru-trophy-debut-gji42 Reported from: Multiple Sources