Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in the 123rd edition of his monthly radio program ‘Mann Ki Baat’, celebrated the overwhelming success of the 11th International Day of Yoga, highlighting its growing global influence and mass participation across India.
“Each year, Yoga Day becomes grander than ever,” PM Modi said, noting that crores of people across the world took part in Yoga Day celebrations on June 21, a tradition now a decade strong. “This also shows that more and more people are integrating yoga into their daily lives,” he added.
The Prime Minister recalled visually stunning celebrations from Visakhapatnam, where three lakh people gathered on the beach to practice yoga—making it the largest yoga gathering, now officially recognised by the Guinness Book of World Records. He also lauded over 2,000 tribal students who performed 108 Surya Namaskars for 108 minutes, calling it a shining example of discipline and devotion.
Modi noted similar enthusiastic participation across Telangana, Jammu and Kashmir, Gujarat, and other states. “In Telangana, 3,000 divyang (differently-abled) participants took part in a yoga camp, demonstrating how yoga can empower everyone,” he said. In Vadnagar, Gujarat, 2,121 people performed the Bhujangasana (Cobra pose) together, setting another milestone.
He praised Delhi’s yoga on Yamuna riverbanks, as well as yoga demonstrations on Indian naval ships and at the snow-capped peaks of the Himalayas by ITBP jawans. “On the Chenab Bridge in J&K, the world’s highest railway bridge, yoga was performed — a true blend of courage and spirituality,” he remarked.
The Prime Minister also spotlighted global participation, with vibrant yoga celebrations held in New York, London, Paris, and Tokyo, along with Indian embassies around the world. “Each image from across the globe sent out a message of peace, balance, and unity,” he noted.
This year’s theme, “Yoga for Self and Society”, or “Yoga for One Earth, One Health”, resonated with India’s ancient philosophy of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam—the world as one family. PM Modi said the theme wasn’t just a slogan but a global call for harmony, health, and sustainability.
The United Nations-recognised International Day of Yoga continues to promote the physical, mental, and spiritual benefits of the ancient Indian practice, now embraced by millions across continents.
