SRINAGAR: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday led a record-breaking yoga session on the shores of Visakhapatnam to mark the 11th International Day of Yoga (IDY), with over 3 lakh citizens participating in what has been recognised as the world’s largest-ever yoga gathering, now inscribed in the Guinness Book of World Records.
Joined by dignitaries including Andhra Pradesh Governor Syed Abdul Nazeer and Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, PM Modi extended greetings to participants across the globe, remarking that yoga’s enduring relevance lies in its power to “unite the world—beyond borders, backgrounds, age, or ability.”
The Prime Minister emphasised that the essence of yoga is unity, recalling that the proposal for International Yoga Day received overwhelming support from 175 nations at the United Nations, marking a rare moment of global consensus. “Yoga has become an integral part of life for millions,” he said, adding that from scientists practising yoga in space to Divyang (specially-abled) reading yogic texts in Braille, the discipline has found universal resonance.
Reflecting this year’s theme, “Yoga for One Earth, One Health,” PM Modi stated, “Yoga teaches us we are not isolated individuals but integral parts of nature,” calling the practice a bridge between personal wellness and global harmony.
The Prime Minister hailed Andhra Pradesh’s “Yogandhra Abhiyan” campaign for engaging over 2 crore citizens in a month-long yoga mobilisation. He praised Minister Nara Lokesh for spearheading the initiative, crediting him with transforming yoga into a “social celebration inclusive of all communities.”
Chief Minister Naidu echoed these sentiments, noting that over 3 lakh citizens had gathered in Visakhapatnam alone for the mass yoga demonstration, and highlighted the world-record-breaking performance by 22,000 tribal students performing Surya Namaskar.
Union Minister for Ayush Prataprao Jadhav highlighted the global scale of the celebrations, revealing that yoga is now practised in over 180 countries, and over 10 lakh organisations across India participated in special campaigns such as Yoga Bandhan, Yoga Sangam, and Yoga Connect. He also noted the distribution of Ayush Aahar, a moringa-based health food, to participants at 70 locations in Delhi.
Meanwhile, Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh joined the celebrations in Udhampur, and Union Home Minister Amit Shah participated in Ahmedabad. Union Minister JP Nadda attended the event at Kartavya Path in New Delhi, stating that “Yoga nurtures balance across our physical, mental, and spiritual dimensions.”
PM Modi also highlighted India’s push to integrate yoga with scientific validation, noting research by AIIMS demonstrating yoga’s effectiveness in treating cardiac and neurological conditions, and improving women’s and mental health. He cited the expansion of yoga education through medical colleges, the deployment of trained instructors at Ayushman Arogya Mandirs, and the issuance of e-Ayush visas to promote India’s wellness ecosystem globally.
Drawing attention to the global rise in obesity, he reiterated his call to reduce oil consumption by 10 per cent and embrace healthy living through yoga. Prime Minister Modi urged the global community to turn yoga into a jan andolan (people’s movement), saying, “Let this Yoga Day mark the beginning of Yoga for Humanity 2.0, where inner peace becomes global policy.”
