India Leads Global Yoga Day Celebrations: 191 Nations, 2,000+ Events Planned for June 21

 June 21, 2025 – India is spearheading a monumental global celebration for the 11th International Day of Yoga (IDY) today, June 21, 2025, with events planned in a staggering 191 countries and over 2,000 yoga programs across approximately 1,300 locations worldwide. This ambitious outreach aims to showcase India's ancient tradition of yoga as a soft power and a universal tool for well-being.

The theme for International Yoga Day 2025 is "Yoga for One Earth, One Health," a concept that emphasizes the deep connection between individual well-being and the health of our planet. This theme aligns with India's "One Earth, One Family, One Future" vision, which was a central tenet during its G20 presidency.

India's Domestic Celebrations: Yoga Sangam and PM Modi's Leadership

At the heart of India's domestic celebrations is "Yoga Sangam 2025," a flagship nationwide initiative organized by the Ministry of Ayush.

• Mass Yoga Demonstration: Yoga Sangam will feature a synchronized mass yoga demonstration based on the Common Yoga Protocol (CYP) at over 1 lakh (100,000) locations across India. These sessions are scheduled to take place today, June 21, from 6:30 AM to 7:45 AM.
• Prime Minister's Role: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lead the national event from Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh. A massive gathering of between three to five lakh (300,000 to 500,000) people is expected to perform yoga along a 26-kilometer stretch from RK Beach to Bhogapuram, making it one of the largest yoga demonstrations globally.
• Signature Events: Beyond Yoga Sangam, the Ministry of Ayush has announced 10 "Signature Events" for IDY 2025, each curated to engage diverse communities. These include:
  • Yoga Bandhan: Where 17 foreign yoga gurus and practitioners from 15 countries (including Brazil, Argentina, Russia, China, South Africa, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Singapore, and South Korea) will lead yoga events across India at iconic locations like Jantar Mantar, Qutub Minar, Purana Quila, and Humayun's Tomb in Delhi, and similar programs in Lucknow, Ayodhya, Varanasi, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Bhopal, and Gwalior. This initiative symbolizes the "union" between "Atma" (self) and "Paramatma" (universal spirit) and aims to unite India and the world through yoga.
  • Yoga Park: Transforming public parks into dedicated wellness zones with trained instructors.
  • Other events like Yoga Samavesh, Yoga Prabhava, Yoga Connect, Harit Yoga, Yoga Unplugged, Yoga Mahakumbh, and Samyoga.
• Wide Participation: Millions are expected to participate, with individuals, educational institutions, NGOs, corporate professionals, and community groups encouraged to register their participation through the Ministry of Ayush website or MyGov portal. Pre-Yoga Day events have already seen widespread participation across the country, including sportspersons forming human chains, sessions at iconic monuments like Hawa Mahal and Dussehra Ghat behind the Taj Mahal, and NCC cadets performing yoga.
  
  

Global Outreach by India:

The Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), the cultural arm of the Ministry of External Affairs, is playing a pivotal role in organizing the international events.

• Embassies and Consulates: Indian embassies and consulates across the 191 participating countries have been organizing special yoga events and programs in the run-up to IDY.
• Cultural Centers: India's 37 cultural centers in various countries have also conducted numerous yoga programs over the last 100 days.
• Specific Global Events: Yoga sessions are being held at iconic venues worldwide, from Times Square in New York to the Eiffel Tower in Paris, the Opera House in Sydney, and even potentially Mount Everest base camp. The Indian High Commission in Pakistan is also organizing a yoga event in Islamabad.
• Growing Popularity: Officials note the increasing adoption of yoga in daily lives by prominent personalities, MPs, legislators, police officers, and judges in foreign countries, highlighting its global movement.

The extensive planning, global participation, and focus on the "One Earth, One Health" theme underscore India's commitment to promoting yoga as a holistic practice for physical, mental, and environmental well-being on an international scale.