Visakhapatnam: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday led the 11th International Yoga Day celebrations in Visakhapatnam, asserting that yoga can serve as the much-needed “pause button” in today’s conflict-ridden world. Addressing a large gathering, PM Modi called for a new beginning — “Yoga for Humanity 2.0” — urging people across the globe to embrace inner peace as a path to global harmony.
“Let this Yoga Day mark the beginning of a new chapter — where inner peace becomes global policy. May today be the start of global peace,” the Prime Minister said, striking a deeply philosophical and hopeful note. He added that yoga transcends boundaries of geography, background, age, and ability, making it a universal tool for unity and well-being.
The 11th International Day of Yoga, marked annually on June 21, is being celebrated across the world this year under the theme ‘Yoga for One Earth, One Health’. The day witnessed participation from millions in over 175 countries, reaffirming yoga’s growing global footprint.
PM Modi reflected on yoga’s decade-long journey since India first proposed the idea of an International Yoga Day at the United Nations General Assembly. “It still amazes me that 175 countries supported our resolution in such a short time. This kind of global unity is rare in today’s world,” he remarked, recalling the landmark moment in 2014 that made June 21 synonymous with wellness and mindfulness.
Highlighting yoga’s transformative power, Modi said, “Yoga awakens our sense of interconnectedness. It shifts us from ‘me’ to ‘we’, from individualism to a collective consciousness. Yoga is India’s offering of healing to a world in turmoil.”
Calling on people to make yoga a daily habit, the Prime Minister said, “Let us turn yoga into a revolution. Begin each day with yoga to find balance and harmony. It is not just a set of exercises but a journey toward oneness with the universe.”
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, who shared the dais with PM Modi at the event, praised the Prime Minister for globalising yoga and turning it into a worldwide wellness movement. “Our visionary Prime Minister has made yoga not just a national pride but a global phenomenon. Thanks to his efforts, Yoga Day is being celebrated in more than 175 countries, across 12 lakh locations, with the participation of over 10 crore people,” Naidu said.
To mark the day, the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), under the Ministry of External Affairs, is coordinating yoga events in 191 countries. Over 2,000 events are being held at 1,300 locations worldwide, making it one of the largest wellness campaigns in the world.
In India, yoga sessions were held at iconic landmarks including Jantar Mantar, Qutub Minar, Purana Qila, and Humayun’s Tomb in Delhi. Similar large-scale programmes under the banner ‘Yoga Bandhan’ were organised in cities such as Lucknow, Ayodhya, Varanasi, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Bhopal, Gwalior, and many others.
PM Modi’s message from Visakhapatnam was clear — in a time of global tension and uncertainty, yoga offers a timeless remedy rooted in harmony, health, and holistic well-being. As India once again took the lead in championing this ancient discipline, the world responded with mats, movements, and mindfulness — united, at least for a day, in pursuit of peace.
