Sunday, 21 June 2026
Sunday, 21 June 2026
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday advocated the utility of yoga in not only boosting personal health but also acting as a catalysing agent in opening up the path for world peace.
He also emphasised the need to embrace the tradition across all ages.
The Prime Minister quoted the Bhagwat Gita to state that a balanced lifestyle involving work, nutrition and sleep is the key to eradicating suffering, which yoga can guide people to.
"That balance is yoga's basic crucible, just as it is the crucible of our lives," Modi said.
"Most people are struggling to maintain that balance in their modern lifestyle. Yoga teaches us the art of living in a balanced manner; it teaches us dos and don'ts. When we learn to operate our bodies in the right manner, health becomes a habit," he added.
The PM stressed that yoga does not merely focus on physical health, but, in fact, helps in finding the path to physical fitness through mental health.
"The consciousness of identifying the dos and don'ts not only brings inner peace but also opens up the path to world peace. That's why yoga is not only required for our personal lifestyles, it is essential for a better future for this world," he said.
"Let us pledge to not restrict yoga to only one particular day or to an event, rather make it a part of our lives and that of our families and our future generations," he added.
President Droupadi Murmu led the International Day of Yoga celebrations in Madhya Pradesh, performing asanas at the state-level event in Jabalpur.
Murmu, accompanied by MP Governor Mangubhai Patel and Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, rolled out her mat to join the yoga session at the Garrison Ground in Jabalpur.
Delhi LG Taranjit Singh and chief minister Rekha Gupta marked the International Day of Yoga by performing yogasanas in the morning, as Sandhu lauded women's leadership in the movement.
The chief minister took part in a special Yoga programme held at Neeli Jheel inside Asola Bhati wildlife sanctuary, alongwith environment minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa and senior officers of the Delhi government.
Appealing to youth to make yoga part of their daily lives, BJP president Nitin Nabin expressed concern over the drug menace in Punjab, stressing that this "curse" must be rooted out.
"I have asked youths of Punjab… if we have to celebrate the International Yoga Day in a real sense, then make it part of their daily lives, and the scourge of drugs has to be eliminated, Nabin said.
He emphaised that Punjab has made its identity on the basis of hard work and sacrifices.
Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu observed International Yoga Day on Sunday alongside yoga guru Baba Ramdev and announced a slew of initiatives to promote yoga across the state.
The chief minister announced that permanent yoga halls would be established in Swarna Gram and ward secretariat offices, district and mandal-level officials would be appointed to monitor yoga programmes, an expert committee would formulate standard yoga protocols, and a dedicated Yogandhra portal would be launched.
Baba Ramdev guided Naidu through pranayama exercises, including the Anulom Vilom breathing technique, while his disciples demonstrated various yoga asanas.
Referring to this year's International Day of Yoga theme, 'Yoga for Healthy Ageing', Modi said the ancient practice plays a crucial role in promoting physical health, mental well-being and active ageing, thereby improving the quality of life.
"Yoga is not just physical exercise. It is not restricted to any age group. It is an expression of the human spirit," he said.
Emphasising the importance of healthy ageing, Modi said efforts must be made to ensure that advancing age does not reduce human potential.
"When we speak of yoga for healthy ageing, we can work to ensure that age does not reduce human potential," he said.
"Our target is to be more flexible at 40 than we were at 20. We aim to be more energetic at 50 than we were at 30. Our target is to be more resistant to lifestyle-related diseases at 70 than we were at 50. This is where yoga can help us," he added.
When society becomes healthy, the nation becomes more able, powerful and self-confident, the PM said.
