In the race witnessed by Nehru, 'Nadubhagom Chundan' stood first. In the excitement of seeing the performance by the oarsmen, Jawaharlal Nehru jumped into the ‘Nadubhagam Chundan’, forgetting all security arrangements. The Prime Minister donated a silver trophy, which is a replica of a snake boat placed on a wooden abacus. The trophy bears his signature and the inscription "To the winners of the boat race, which is a unique feature of community life in Travancore - Cochin." The trophy is known as 'Nehru Trophy' later and is awarded to the winners of this boat race every year.
Nehru Trophy Boat Race has the honor of being the largest team sport in the world with each snake boat carrying a crew of rowers, cheerers, singers and steerer's numbering well over one hunderd and with more than 18 or so such boats participating it defenitly deserves the title.
This Boat Race has become so popular that a lot of tourists from different parts of the world come to see this, recently it has become a trend that people of far away land come and take part in the race, blond ladies working fast on the oars are more a delight to the spectators who cheer for them forgetting the competing local candidates. This race has thus become an integrating factor where people take part forgetting regional and racial barriers.