Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s proposal at the United Nations in 2014 to observe an International Day of Yoga transformed an ancient Indian practice into a global movement.
Following overwhelming support from member states, June 21 was officially designated by the UN as the International Day of Yoga and has since been celebrated annually across the world.
This year’s theme, “Yoga for Healthy Ageing”, highlights the growing importance of preventive healthcare and holistic well-being in an era of increasing life expectancy and rising lifestyle-related diseases.
Yoga sessions spanned the globe, from India's IIT campuses and temples to stock exchanges and public parks. In major hubs like New York and London, thousands gathered to celebrate the ancient practice, highlighting its evolution into a truly global phenomenon.
Beyond cultural significance, yoga is increasingly backed by science. Studies show that regular practice preserves brain function, mitigates age-related cognitive decline, and manages stress, anxiety, and depression, reinforcing its role as a powerful tool for healthy ageing and overall mental well-being.
Indian High Commission hosts Yoga Day celebrations
The 12th International Day of Yoga was celebrated in London with a special event organised by the High Commission of India.
India’s High Commissioner to the UK, HE Periasamy Kumaran, joined members of the Indian diaspora and UK-based practitioners at Holland Park for yoga postures and breathing exercises.
Despite the scorching heat, hundreds of participants followed guided sessions led by instructors on stage. The event, themed “Yoga for Healthy Ageing,” highlighted the benefits of yoga for people of all ages.
Kumaran said it was encouraging to see yoga’s growing global reach. He noted that the aim of celebrating the International Day of Yoga across countries is to make it part of healthy lifestyles worldwide, rather than a one-day event. He added that yoga is adaptable to all ages and abilities, encouraging people to practise it regularly in ways suited to their comfort and capability.
Councillor Aarien Areti of Kensington and Chelsea highlighted the historic India-UK connection with Holland Park, noting its association with figures like Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Patel, and called it an honour to host the event there.
Heartfulness UK, Isha Foundation, Art of Living, Brahma Kumaris, Iyengar Yoga, and SRMD Yoga were among the organisations leading yoga and mindfulness sessions at the event. The gathering followed another major International Day of Yoga celebration held at the Strand near India House in London.
GHS marks Yoga Day with community session
To mark International Yoga Day on 21 June, members of the Society gathered for a special yoga session. Introduced globally following an initiative by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the day aims to promote the benefits of yoga worldwide.
Yoga classes have been held regularly at the Centre for many years, and this year’s International Yoga Day theme, “Yoga for Healthy Ageing,” was especially fitting. Around 25 members took part in the session, which was conducted by Dr Sakthi Karunanithi, who also serves as Director of Public Health for Lancashire County Council.
The session was opened by Ishwer Tailor, Vice President of the Society, who warmly welcomed everyone and thanked members for attending despite it being Father’s Day. He praised Dr Sakthi for continuing the valuable legacy of yoga at the Centre. He highlighted yoga as an excellent way to maintain physical fitness while also improving overall wellbeing and peace of mind.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has promoted yoga as a means to achieve well-being, inner harmony and global peace. Organisers expressed hope that the annual celebration will continue to inspire more people to adopt yoga as part of a healthy and balanced lifestyle.
Times Square embraces International Yoga Day
Nearly 10,000 people gathered at Times Square as the Consulate General of India in New York marked the 12th International Day of Yoga with a series of sessions held throughout the day.
Organised with the Times Square Alliance, the event coincided with the annual “Solstice in Times Square: Mind Over Madness Yoga” celebration and highlighted yoga’s growing popularity in the US. Padma Shri awardee and renowned yoga expert H. R. Nagendra attended the event and spoke about the role of yoga and meditation in promoting healthy and balanced living.
H. R. Nagendra urged participants to see yoga as a practical tool for tackling modern-day challenges, while Consul General Binaya Pradhan highlighted its growing acceptance among Americans and the Indian diaspora.
Ahead of the Times Square celebrations, the Consulate organised a month-long series of yoga events across several US states.
India-Kenya ties shine at Yoga Day event
The High Commission of India in Nairobi marked the 12th International Day of Yoga at the Oshwal Centre Grounds, with more than 2,500 participants, making it one of Kenya’s largest yoga gatherings.
UN Under-Secretary-General and UNON Director-General Zainab Hawa Bangura attended as chief guest, alongside diplomats, Kenyan officials, business leaders, members of the Indian diaspora and yoga enthusiasts.
Indian High Commissioner to Kenya Dr Adarsh Swaika described yoga as one of India’s greatest gifts and said this year’s theme, “Yoga for Healthy Ageing,” highlights its benefits for physical and mental well-being and its role in strengthening India-Kenya ties.
UNON Director-General Zainab Hawa Bangura emphasised the importance of wellness and praised yoga for promoting balance and bringing people together across cultures and generations.
The celebrations included rhythmic and stick yoga performances, a mass Common Yoga Protocol session and Ayurveda stalls that introduced participants to holistic approaches to health and wellness.
Moscow hosts global wellness celebrations at university square
The Jawaharlal Nehru Cultural Centre, Embassy of India, Moscow, in collaboration with the Moscow City Government, organised the 12th International Day of Yoga celebrations at Universitetskaya Square, Lomonosov Moscow State University.
Ambassador Vinay Kumar and Ms Olga Zhilina, Deputy Head of the Department for External Economic and International Relations of the Moscow City Government, inaugurated the day-long event. The occasion was also graced by Smt. Sudha Rani Gupta, Director General of the Brahma Kumaris Centre for Spiritual Development, and Swami Atmalokananda, President of the Ramakrishna Vedanta Centre Moscow, as guests of honour.
The event brought together yoga enthusiasts, community members, and wellness advocates to celebrate the practice of yoga and its role in promoting health, harmony, mindfulness, and overall well-being.
India-led Yoga Day celebrated widely in Chinese cities
The International Day of Yoga was celebrated with great enthusiasm in the rapidly growing cities of Yiwu, Taizhou, and Nanjing in China’s eastern Yangtze River Delta region.
A vibrant Indian diaspora community joined local yoga practitioners to organise large-scale events, including sessions on yoga, meditation, and health awareness.
Coinciding with the Dragon Boat Festival, thousands of enthusiasts took part in the peaceful global celebration, undeterred by weather conditions. Since its launch in 2015 by India at the United Nations, the International Day of Yoga has gained growing global popularity, including strong participation in China.
The celebrations reflected the shared values of mindfulness, balance, and harmony with nature, which resonate across cultures in both India and China.
PM Modi marks Yoga Day with 35,000 in Kolkata
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said yoga promotes unity and has evolved into the world’s largest collective celebration.
Addressing an International Yoga Day event in Kolkata, where he joined around 35,000 participants on Red Road, Modi said yoga connects people across the world and embodies the spirit of togetherness.
He also paid tribute to spiritual leaders including Ramakrishna Paramhansa, Swami Vivekananda, Maharshi Aurobindo and Lahiri Mahasaya for elevating and spreading the tradition of yoga.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi recalled that he had proposed the observance of International Yoga Day at the United Nations in 2014, leading to June 21 being officially recognised by the UN and celebrated globally every year since.
Speaking in Kolkata, Modi highlighted this year’s theme, ‘Yoga for Healthy Ageing’, saying the practice promotes physical and mental well-being and improves quality of life. During the event, the Prime Minister was seen interacting with participants and correcting the yoga postures of some attendees. He also urged people to make yoga a part of their daily lives rather than confining it to a single occasion, stressing that it helps maintain flexibility, energy and lifelong health.
International Yoga Day was celebrated in Kolkata with great enthusiasm for the first time, with several BJP leaders and ministers, including West Bengal Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari, attending the event. The city and riverfront were specially decorated, while live screens were set up across Kolkata to broadcast the celebrations.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi thanked the people of Kolkata for hosting the event and described it as an honour to celebrate Yoga Day in the city. He also praised a citywide cleanliness drive, calling it an inspiring initiative.
1000 SGVP students form yogi formation at event
A grand International Yoga Festival was organised at Shree Swaminarayan Gurukul Vishwavidya Pratishthanam (SGVP) on June 21. On this occasion, 1,000 students of the institution formed the shape of a yogi, creating a unique and spectacular sight that drew heartfelt appreciation from everyone present. The impressive display by the students added a special attraction to the event.
The programme was held under the divine inspiration and blessings of the institution’s President, Pujya Madhavpriyadasji Swami, and Pujya Sadguru Balakrishnadasji Swami, whose guidance lent spiritual significance to the celebrations.
Gujarat marks Yoga Day with mass sessions
Chief Minister of Gujarat Bhupendra Patel attended Gujarat’s state-level celebration of the 12th International Yoga Day at Mansa in Gandhinagar and urged people to make yoga a regular part of their lives rather than limiting it to a one-day event.
More than 1.25 crore people across the state participated in the celebrations, while mass yoga sessions were organised at over 330 locations. Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel said Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s efforts had brought global recognition to India’s ancient yoga tradition and noted that this year’s International Yoga Day coincides with 12 years of his tenure.
Highlighting the theme ‘Yoga for Healthy Ageing’, Patel described yoga as a key element of preventive healthcare and praised initiatives such as Fit India and Mission LiFE. He said Gujarat has the highest number of trained yoga instructors in the country and urged citizens to use yoga as a means of nation-building in pursuit of the vision of ‘Viksit Gujarat to Viksit Bharat @2047’.
State Yoga Board Chairman Shishpal Rajput encouraged year-round yoga practice and led the Common Yoga Protocol, while participants also watched a live broadcast of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Yoga Day programme in West Bengal.
Navy marks Yoga Day with underwater session
The Indian Navy marked International Day of Yoga 2026 with a unique underwater session at INS Satvahana, where around 40 submariners performed synchronised yoga postures.
According to the official INS Satvahana X handle, the personnel demonstrated strong breath control, focus, endurance and composure during the coordinated exercises underwater.
Officials said the initiative highlighted how yoga helps enhance mindfulness, discipline and self-control, especially in demanding underwater operational environments.
The session was led by in-house Naval yoga practitioners under Lieutenant Commander Aarush Sharma, focusing on controlled breathing, focused movement and mental conditioning, allowing participants to experience the benefits of yoga in high-pressure operational conditions.
In a viral video, submariners were seen performing bhujangasana. The post described the event as a reflection of the Navy’s commitment to holistic well-being and innovative fitness practices, aligned with the International Day of Yoga theme, “Yoga for One Earth, One Health.”
India marked the 12th International Day of Yoga with nationwide celebrations led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Addressing a large gathering on Kolkata’s Red Road, he said yoga has become the world’s largest community celebration and highlighted the theme “Yoga for Healthy Ageing.”
