PM Modi Leads 11th International Day of Yoga Celebrations from Vizag

Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the country in celebrating the 11th International Day of Yoga from the coastal town of Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh on 21 June 2025. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and Minister of State (Independent Charge) Ayush, Prataprao Jadhav and other dignitaries joined the Prime Minister in a 45 minute yoga session.

Who organised the International Day of Yoga in Visakhapatnam?

• The International Day of Yoga celebration in Visakhapatnam was organised by the Union Ministry of Ayush.

Andhra Pradesh organises Floating Yoga 

• Andhra Pradesh organised an innovative “ Floating Yoga” event on the Krishna River in Vijayawada on the International Day of Yoga.
• It was part of the State government’s YogAndhra 2025 campaign in which thousands of yoga practitioners performed various asanas on 200 water crafts like kayaks, sand boats,jet skis, punts and floating platforms.

Ministry of Culture organises Yoga at 100 Iconic Tourist Destinations 

The Union Ministry of Culture celebrated the 11th National Day of Yoga 2025 by organising yoga sessions at 100 iconic tourist destinations and around 50 cultural sites in the country.

Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Union Minister for Culture and Tourism, led the yoga celebration at the Mehrangarh Fort in Jodhpur, Rajasthan.

The Ministry hosted Yoga Day celebrations at the UNESCO World Heritage Sites such as  Elephanta Caves in Maharashtra, Charaideo Maidam in Assam, Rani Ki Vav and Dholavira in Gujarat, Brihadisvara Temple at Thanjavur in Tamil Nadu, Hampi and Pattadakal in Karnataka, Sun Temple at Konark in Odisha and the Khajuraho Group of Monuments and Sanchi Stupa in Madhya Pradesh.

About the International Day of Yoga 

On the proposal of India and supported by 175 countries, the United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution on 11 December 2014 to declare 21 June as the International Day of Yoga.

First - 21 June 2015.

It was Prime Minister Narednra Modi who first introduced the concept during his address to the United Nations General Assembly in September 2014.

21 June is also observed as the International Day of the Celebration of the Solstice. 

Theme of the 11th International Day of Yoga 2025

• The theme of the 11th International Day of Yoga is - Yoga for One Earth, One Health. 

About Yoga 

Yoga origin is traced to India and dates back to 2700 BC to the Indus Saraswati civilisation.

Yoga is derived from Sanskrit roots Yuj’, meaning ‘to join’ or ‘to yoke’ or ‘to unite.

Yoga focuses on bringing harmony between the human mind and body for healthy living.

Lord Shiva is considered to be the first yogi or Adiyogi and the first Guru of Adi Guru.

Maharishi Patanjali is considered to be the father of Yoga as he compiled and refined various aspects of Yoga systematically in his "Yoga Sutras." He proposed the eightfold path of Yoga- Dharana, Yama, Niyama,Pratyahara,Asana, Pranayama, Dhyana and Samadhi. 

These eight paths are popularly known as Ashtanga Yoga.