Visakhapatnam – Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the 11th International Yoga Day celebrations on Saturday morning in Visakhapatnam, performing yoga alongside over 300,000 participants, including diplomats from 40 countries. The grand event marked a global celebration of India’s ancient wellness tradition, with Yoga Day observed at 1,300 venues across 191 countries.
Addressing the gathering, PM Modi emphasized that “Yoga means to unite,” adding that it was heartening to see how yoga has brought together people from across the globe. He recalled the historic moment when India proposed June 21 as International Yoga Day at the United Nations, which received support from 175 countries within a short span.
The event in Visakhapatnam was part of a nationwide movement titled ‘Yoga Sangam’, organized at over 100,000 locations across India, with more than 20 million people expected to participate.
🧘 Key Takeaways from PM Modi’s Address:
1. Yoga has become a global lifestyle
“Today, yoga is a part of daily life for millions around the world,” said Modi. “I feel immense pride when I see differently-abled individuals reading yogic texts in Braille, astronauts practicing yoga in space, and rural youth actively participating in the Yoga Olympiad.”
2. Yoga is universal — it belongs to everyone
“From naval ships to opera house steps, from Everest’s peaks to the ocean’s depths, yoga is being practiced everywhere. This proves yoga is not limited by boundaries; it is for everyone,” he stated.
3. Yoga is the world’s much-needed ‘pause button’
“Amid growing stress, unrest, and instability in the world, yoga provides the way to peace and balance. It allows us to pause, breathe, and reconnect with ourselves,” said the Prime Minister.
4. From ‘Me to We’ — Yoga as a global movement
Modi encouraged people to think beyond personal well-being. “Let’s not confine yoga to individual practice. Let it become a platform for collective action and public policy. The journey from ‘Me to We’ is the spirit of India.”
5. Scientific validation of yoga is expanding
Highlighting yoga’s evolving global relevance, the PM shared, “India is strengthening yoga’s scientific base through research and evidence-based therapy. Institutes like AIIMS Delhi have contributed immensely. The global appeal of ‘Heal in India’ is growing, and yoga is at its heart.”
The PM concluded by urging all citizens to embrace yoga not just as a physical exercise, but as a way of life that promotes inner peace, societal harmony, and global unity.