New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday led the national celebrations of the 12th International Day of Yoga from Kolkata’s historic Red Road, highlighting yoga’s growing role in promoting physical, mental and emotional well-being across the world.
The theme for this year’s International Day of Yoga, ‘Yoga for Healthy Ageing’, focuses on encouraging people to adopt yoga as a lifelong practice for maintaining overall health and wellness. Thousands of participants performed yoga under the Common Yoga Protocol at the main event, while millions joined programmes across India and abroad through physical and digital platforms.
Addressing the gathering, Prime Minister Modi said the entire country, from the Himalayas to the Indian Ocean and from the Northeast to Saurashtra, was immersed in the spirit of yoga. He stressed that the bond between India and yoga stretches back thousands of years and that the ancient practice has now evolved into a global people’s movement.
Modi said yoga, which originated in India’s ancient traditions, is helping people worldwide achieve physical fitness, mental peace and holistic well-being.
As part of the global celebrations, the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), in collaboration with Indian embassies and missions, organised yoga programmes at nearly 2,500 locations across more than 210 countries and regions.
The Ministry of AYUSH also reported a record response through its Yoga Sangam portal, with more than six lakh institutions and organisations registering participation ahead of the event.
To add a cultural dimension to the celebrations, the Ministry of Culture and the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) organised special yoga sessions at 100 prominent heritage sites across the country, including the Red Fort in Delhi, Konark Sun Temple, Hampi, Mahabalipuram, Sarnath and Leh.
International Yoga Day was first proposed by Prime Minister Modi during the 69th session of the United Nations General Assembly in 2014. The proposal received support from a record 175 countries, leading to the declaration of June 21 as the International Day of Yoga. The first global observance was held in 2015, while UNESCO recognised yoga as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2016.
Widely regarded as one of the world’s oldest knowledge traditions, yoga traces its roots to the Indus-Saraswati civilisation and has been referenced in ancient Indian scriptures, including the Vedas, Upanishads, Buddhist and Jain texts, as well as the Mahabharata and Ramayana. The practice was later systematised by Maharishi Patanjali through the Yoga Sutras.
