Thiruvananthapuram: The original Champakulam Chundan, the most-celebrated among snake boats in Kerala that currently adorns the UST campus in Thiruvananthapuram, had a set of high profile visitors this weekend. The boat, which had been brought to the UST campus after it had retired in 2013, was called on by the Kerala Police team, the oarsmen of the new generation Champakulam Chundan after it won this year’s Champakulam Moolam Boat Race, on July 12.
At the Champakulam Moolam Boat Race held on July 12, the Kerala Police Boat Race team won the Raja Pramukhan Trophy atop the latest generation Champakulam Chundan boat. In recognition of the winning team’s appreciation and gratitude, and on the invitation from UST, the Kerala Police Boat Race team, the rowers of the Champakulam Chundan, visited the old Chundan adorning the UST campus Thiruvananthapuram campus.
Led by coach Sunil, the winning team arrived at the UST campus along with the trophy and posed with the old boat. The team was welcomed by Alexander Varghese, Chief Operating Officer, UST; Harikrishnan Mohankumar Jayasree, Senior Director Operations – Workplace Management, UST; and Shilpa Menon, Senior Director and Center Head, UST Thiruvananthapuram; along with USsociates. The winning team was taken on a tour of the beautiful UST campus, where the race video was shown along with pictures of the old Champakulam Chundan’s many victories. The team also had lunch with the UST leadership.
The original Champakulam Chundan, which now adorns the UST campus, had been synonymous with speed, focus and excellence. It had won the Nehru Trophy nine times between 1989 and 2013.
