ALAPPUZHA: Even though almost all boat clubs in Alappuzha have been granted at least Rs 25 lakhs for renovation and reconstruction, the Ambedkar snake boat (Chundan), which was built with the SC/ST welfare fund in 1992, is still in tatters. The jewel of Alappuzha captured the imagination of thousands of underprivileged persons but ended up in oblivion after its maiden water journey in the 1994 Nehru Trophy Boat Race (NTBR).
While the preparations for this year’s NTBR are gaining momentum with a record number of contestants, the legacy of Ambedkar Chundan has plunged to a new low. Raghu Kuppapuram, who fought at least for two decades to regain Chundan’s past glory, died a couple of month back snuffing out any last hope for Chundan. Now even the registration of the club does not exist.
Joseph Elamkulam, a boat race enthusiast, said the return of the boat was now very difficult. No member had come forward to take on the responsibility of leading the boat club despite having great oarsmen in the community who used to row for other boat clubs. “If they get a government grant, the club has to be revived and there is a need to set up an active boat club,” he says
In the maiden contest for the Nehru Trophy, it had made its mark fetching third place in 1994. It continued its reign, winning several titles at Thrissur, Kruvattta, Pulinkunnu and Kandassamkadavu. However, with the government stopping allocating a grant, the prospect of the financially backward boat club started dwindling.
