The drums have quieted. The chants have slowed. But the cheer? Still echoing across Kerala tonight. Crowds ringed Punnamada Lake, Alappuzha, as the 71st Nehru Trophy Boat Race thundered and raised a champion: Veeyapuram Chundan.
The Village Boat Club, Kainakari, pulled in hard rhythm and claimed the win with grit and glory. The finish squeezed voices dry and sent hearts to the edge of hope that day. Boats hammered stroke for stroke, cheers rose, and oars wrote lines of foam across water.
If you missed the race or want another run, ZEE5 hosts official highlights in Malayalam, Hindi, and English.
The Final Showdown — Seconds that Shook the Lake
This wasn’t a victory earned casually. It was stolen in the split of a second.
After six heats, four boats advanced to the final.
The crowd roared as Nadubhagam, Veeyapuram, Melppadam, and Niranam lined up.
The water trembled under synchronized oars—over 400 men rowing in perfect rhythm.
The timings tell the story:
Nadubhagam: 4:20.904
Veeyapuram: 4:21.810
Niranam: 4:21.269
Melppadam: 4:22.123
Milliseconds separated giants. And then, in one last furious push, Veeyapuram surged forward, stealing the crown. The silver Nehru Trophy—born in 1952—lifted again, this time into Veeyapuram’s history.
What This Win Means for Veeyapuram
For outsiders, it’s a trophy. For Veeyapuram, it’s everything.
The boat is more than wood—it’s months of craftsmanship, rituals, oiling, blessings. Each oar belongs to a son of the soil. Farmers. Fishermen. Clerks. United not by paycheck, but by pride.
When Veeyapuram crossed the line, it wasn’t just 100 rowers who won. It was a village. Streets tonight are loud with fireworks, children painted in club colors, elders humming vanchipattu with tears in their eyes.
For the club, this victory isn’t just another title—it’s validation. Proof that tradition, sweat, and unity can still conquer giants.
Where to Watch the Race Highlights
Here’s how you relive today’s thunder:
Open the ZEE5 app or website.
Type “71st Nehru Trophy Boat Race Highlights” into the search bar.
Select from Malayalam, Hindi, or English feeds.
Choose what you want—full highlight reel, heats, or just the final sprint.
Hit play. Let Kerala’s carnival roar again.
Unlike random clips on social media, ZEE5’s highlight reel is crisp, multi-angle, and curated. You get the exact beats that made today historic.
What the Highlights Show You
The Procession: Boats gliding majestically, oars raised high, chants rising with the wind.
The Heats: Grueling eliminators where speed ruled over sheer victory.
The Start of the Final: Silence before the whistle. Then chaos—water shredding under 120 oars.
The Finish: Veeyapuram’s surge, Nadubhagam gasping inches behind, the crowd erupting in disbelief.
The Celebration: Oarsmen collapsing, laughing, hugging, trophy raised under a spray of lake water.
Every ounce of sweat. Every cheer. Every second cut and polished for replay.
The Buzz in Alappuzha Tonight
If you strolled through Alleppey now, you’d still hear it. The after-race hum.
Vendors running out of coconut water. Street food carts serving crisp banana fritters till midnight. Locals arguing in tea stalls about which heat was best. Tourists buying “71st Edition” souvenirs. Children clutching paper boats, proud of their heroes.
And at the heart of it, in Veeyapuram, firecrackers. Songs. Oarsmen walking home like warriors. That’s the emotion you can taste in the highlight reel too—the energy, bottled for every screen.
A Trophy with a Legacy
This silver prize is not just a cup. It’s living heritage.
Back in 1952, a sudden race lit Jawaharlal Nehru’s eyes, and he handed Kerala a fine trophy. From that year on, the tradition lives and now ranks among India’s most loved cultural events.
Winning means inscribing your boat’s name into folklore. Boats like Karichal Chundan have been immortalized. And now, Veeyapuram Chundan joins that pantheon, forever remembered as the 2025 champion.
Why Highlights on ZEE5 Matter
Because it isn’t just about seeing who won. It’s about feeling the journey again.
For fans who missed the race: A chance to join the celebration without FOMO.
For the diaspora abroad: A way to connect back to Kerala’s traditions.
For families at home: Festive bonding—watching highlights while Onam prep fills kitchens.
Streaming makes this carnival borderless. One tap, and Alappuzha spills into Mumbai, Dubai, New Jersey.
Tips for Your Rewatch
Start with the heats. They’re the build-up, the tension.
Don’t mute. The drums and chants are half the thrill.
Switch languages. Try Malayalam for soul, Hindi or English for clarity.
Replay the final stretch. Twice. It’s that close.
Watch with company. This isn’t solo viewing—it’s cheer, laugh, shout viewing.
The 71st Nehru Trophy Boat Race 2025 ends with Veeyapuram Chundan of Village Boat Club, Kainakari lifting the crown. A victory by milliseconds, but one that will echo for years.
And the celebration doesn’t have to end at the lake. ZEE5’s highlight reels—in Malayalam, Hindi, and English—bring the spectacle to every screen. Watch the heats, relive the final, cheer with the winners.
Because the Nehru Trophy isn’t just about who rowed fastest. It’s about tradition, pride, and the roar of a community. And now, thanks to streaming, it’s your story too.
Bio of Author: Gayatri Tiwari is an experienced digital strategist and entertainment writer, bringing 20+ years of content expertise to one of India’s largest OTT platforms. She blends industry insight with a passion for cinema to deliver engaging, trustworthy perspectives on movies, TV shows and web series.
