The 55th Pampa boat race will be held on the Pampa at Neerettupuram, near Thiruvalla, on Thiruvonam day on September 9.
In a statement here on Friday, race committee working president Victor T. Thomas said Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment D. Napoleon would inaugurate the event. Chief Minister Oommen Chandy would present trophies to the winners at the valedictory function in the evening. Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee president Ramesh Chennithala would inaugurate a public meeting.
P.J. Kurien, Congress chief whip in the Rajya Sabha, would flag off a ceremonial procession of snake-boats and other boats as a prelude to the race. The boats would stage a mass drill. Suresh Gopi, actor, would inaugurate the event. Kodikkunnil Suresh, MP, would flag off the mass drill.
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Anto Antony, MP, would hoist the ceremonial flag at the venue in the morning. Mathew T. Thomas, MLA, would release the souvenir.
Mr. Victor Thomas said as many as 40 boats would take part in the race, to be held in various categories. Separate races would be held for different types of boats, including chundan, veppu, churulan, and audi, he said.
The Pampa boat race is the only one of its kind to be held on Thiruvonam day in Central Travancore.
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Cultural fete
Mr. Thomas said the committee had decided to celebrate this year's festival as a 10-day cultural event.
District Collector P. Venugopal would hoist a flag on the banks of the river at Nerettupuram on August 31 to inaugurate the cultural fete. Antony Dominic, Revenue Divisional Officer, would preside over the inaugural function.
Tourism Minister A.P. Anilkumar would inaugurate the cultural programmes at a function on September 3 afternoon.
Minister for Welfare of Scheduled Tribes P.K. Jayalakshmi would inaugurate cultural programmes presented by members of various Kudumbasree units on September 5 morning. Forest Minister K.B. Ganesh Kumar would inaugurate a symposium at Punnamada Lake Palace at Alappuzha in the afternoon. Thomas Chandy, MLA, would preside over the function.
Students from Thiruvalla Balika Madhom Girls' Higher Secondary School and Edathua St. Alosius College would stage cultural programmes on September 6 and 7.