Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the 11th International Day of Yoga (IDY) celebrations from the scenic coastline of Visakhapatnam, hailing yoga as a universal practice that transcends age, background, and boundaries.
Addressing a massive gathering of over three lakh participants, the Prime Minister emphasized yoga’s power to unite humanity in health, harmony, and consciousness.
“Yoga is for everyone—beyond boundaries, beyond backgrounds, beyond age or physical ability. It is a universal gift that unites humanity,” Modi said, acknowledging the efforts of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and Jana Sena Party chief Pawan Kalyan for hosting the landmark event.
The Prime Minister recalled how India’s proposal in 2014 to designate June 21 as International Yoga Day received support from 175 countries, calling it a moment of extraordinary global solidarity for human well-being.
“This wasn’t just about a proposal—it was a united step by the world for a healthier future,” he noted.
He further remarked on yoga’s global reach, highlighting its presence from the Sydney Opera House to Everest and across oceans, symbolizing its growing importance as a tool for both physical health and inner peace.
The mass yoga session, backed by Indian Navy ships visible off the coast, was part of the ‘Yoga Sangam’ initiative, a nationwide celebration involving over 10 lakh venues and 2 crore participants. Andhra Pradesh also aimed for a Guinness World Record and announced over 50 lakh yoga certificates for registered participants.
At the beginning of his address, PM Modi greeted the world: “Happy International Yoga Day to all. The simple meaning of yoga is ‘to join’, and today it is heartening to see how yoga has connected the entire world.”
Across the country, prominent leaders also joined the celebrations. BJP National President JP Nadda, in New Delhi, said: “Yoga is not just a physical practice—it is a path to self-awareness and spiritual growth. It symbolizes the union of body, mind, and spirit.”
He praised PM Modi’s role in internationalizing yoga, reminding the audience that the UN General Assembly adopted the proposal just months after it was introduced in 2014.
Meanwhile, Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan participated in yoga celebrations at the Kishan Mela Ground in Pusa, New Delhi, joining thousands of citizens in the nationwide observance.
With yoga events held across states, union territories, and Indian missions abroad, IDY 2025 marked a decade of growing global embrace of yoga, cementing its role as one of India’s most profound cultural contributions to the world.
