As preparations intensify for the 11th International Day of Yoga on June 21, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Thursday participated in a yoga session in Dehradun, highlighting the global impact of yoga and its growing importance in daily life.
Speaking after the session, CM Dhami said, "Under the leadership of PM Modi, Yoga has become popular worldwide. Ahead of 21 June, the International Day of Yoga, we organised an event to spread awareness about Yoga today. I appeal to the public to adopt Yoga to stay healthy."
The Chief Minister, who practiced yoga at his residence complex along with officials and employees of the Chief Minister's Office, emphasised Uttarakhand’s identity as a land of sages and yoga. He stated that the state government has made consistent efforts to connect people with yoga at the village level.
Calling yoga a path to mental clarity and inner peace, Dhami said, “Yoga is not just a physical exercise but a process of inner peace and self-realisation. It is a medium to stabilise our mind and reach the depths of consciousness.” He further added, “India has always kept human values paramount, and the basic pillar of our Sanatan culture is yoga. This is the reason that today yoga has become an integral part of the daily routine of crores of people of the world and is establishing the Indian lifestyle on the global stage.”
Recalling the milestone moment when yoga gained international recognition, the CM noted, “In 2014, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had proposed in the United Nations General Assembly to recognize Yoga as an international day, which was supported by 177 countries, and June 21 was declared International Yoga Day.”
He also said that a new yoga policy is being introduced to position Uttarakhand as a global centre for yoga and wellness, while creating employment opportunities in the sector.
Meanwhile, Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh is preparing to host one of the largest yoga events in history, which will see the participation of over 2.5 lakh people and an appearance by Prime Minister Modi. The event will take place along the 27-km-long coastal road, and is being organised with the goal of setting a new world record for mass yoga participation.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu is also expected to take part in the event. A high-level review meeting was conducted at the VMRDA office in Visakhapatnam on Tuesday to finalise preparations. The meeting was attended by Ministers Vangalapudi Anitha, Achennaidu, DBV Swamy, BC Janardhan Reddy, Angani Satya Prasad, MP Bharat, coalition MLAs from Uttarandhra, and several other public representatives.
Following the meeting, Home Minister Vangalapudi Anitha addressed the media and shared details of the large-scale arrangements. “The people of Visakhapatnam are fortunate to organise the 11th International Yoga Day in Visakhapatnam,” she said. “Yoga is a gift from India to the world. Yoga is a part of life. We are moving Andhra Pradesh towards a healthy Andhra Pradesh.”
Authorities have reportedly prepared 326 compartments to accommodate participants, and over 2,000 CCTV cameras have been installed across the venue to monitor and manage the crowd effectively.
The event in Visakhapatnam is expected to be one of the largest ever celebrations of International Yoga Day, reinforcing India’s soft power and cultural influence across the globe.