Celebrating the harmony of mind, body, and spirit, the 10th International Yoga Day was commemorated across the globe on Friday. The theme of this year’s Yoga Day – ‘Yoga for Self and Society’ – reminds people of the significant role yoga plays in the life of an individual and that of the wider community.
Various events, mass yoga sessions, workshops, and seminars were organised worldwide to mark the occasion.
On the occasion, President Droupadi Murmu greeted the global community and noted that Yoga is India’s unique gift to humanity. ”In view of rising lifestyle-related problems, Yoga has become far more important today. Yoga is a way to physical, mental, and spiritual well-being. Let us resolve to adopt yoga as an integral part of our day-to-day living.”
Prime Minister Narendra Modi celebrated the IYD in Srinagar. Addressing a gathering, he said today’s spectacle of enthusiasm and commitment shown by the people of Jammu & Kashmir towards yoga would be immortalised in the minds of people.
PM Modi, who was adorning a Gamosa of Assam, said Yoga has gained global significance as a power for good with an increasing number of people across the world embracing it. ”The world is looking at yoga as a powerful agent of global good. Yoga helps us live in the present moment without the baggage of the past,” he said.
He shared selfies with Yoga enthusiasts on the occasion.
The Day was also celebrated in the cold desert of Ladakh. Army troops and men from the paramilitary forces performed Yoga at the Siachen Glacier and at the Pangong Lake near the Line of Actual Control with China. Army personnel and dog squad performed yoga at the Line of Control (LoC) on the eve of the IYD in the Jammu district.
Union ministers, including S Jaishankar (External Affairs) and Nitin Gadkari (Road Transport & Highways), and chief ministers of various states shared glimpses of their yoga sessions organised to commemorate the event.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh led the Armed Forces in celebrating the Day by performing various asanas and breathing exercises with soldiers at 1 Corps in Mathura, Uttar Pradesh. Chief of the Army Staff General Manoj Pande and General Officer Commanding, 1 Corps Lt Gen Sanjay Mitra, along with 600 people, including senior officers, Agniveers, families, and children attended the event.
Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Amit Shah practiced Yoga in Ahmedabad and greeted all the yoga lovers in the country and the world. He said, “Yoga is India’s gift to humanity and the world…The world has accepted Yoga…Today, more than 1 crore people practiced Yoga…PM Modi played a very big role in providing a big platform for Yoga…The essence of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam is characterised by Yoga…”
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath participated in a mass yoga session held at Raj Bhavan in Lucknow on Friday morning. Governor Anandiben Patel also took part in the session.
In Imphal, Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh said, “Under the leadership of PM Modi, Yoga got recognised at the United Nations…I appeal to practice Yoga daily….”
In a message, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said the International Day of Yoga recognises the ancient practice’s unmatched power to deliver healing, inner peace, and physical, spiritual, and mental well-being. ”With roots in India but now embraced worldwide by people of all faiths and cultures, yoga unites people with its values of balance, mindfulness, and peace with people and planet alike,” he said.
The 10th IYD was celebrated at Times Square in New York. The day-long celebration of Yoga, also known as ‘Solstice at Times Square’, featured seven yoga sessions, in which about 10,000 people from across nationalities participated, showcasing the widespread enthusiasm for yoga in NewYork City and the US.
The Indian Embassy in the US organised a Yoga session in Washington ahead of IYD. In a post on X, the Indian Embassy shared, “International Yoga Day 2024 celebrated by the Indian Embassy in the US at the picturesque and serene Wharf in Washington. Various community organisations participated enthusiastically in the Yoga and meditation session.”
The High Commission of India in the United Kingdom also hosted a yoga event at Trafalgar Square in London that drew over 700 participants ahead of IYD.
In Delhi, Hwang II Yong, Director of the Korean Cultural Centre India, said: ‘The International Day of Yoga’ celebrates yoga as India’s cultural contribution globally, which is now deeply rooted in Korean culture. On 21st June, the Seoul Metropolitan Government will host the “Gwanghwamun Moonlight Yoga” event at Gwanghwamun Square, and it will include cultural and artistic performances. Further, from June 25 to August 8, yoga classes will be held at the venue thrice a week and a maximum of 120 participants can enjoy the hour-long session.
Celebrations were held at the Indian Embassy in Kuwait. “During the International Yoga Day event, a few minutes of silence was observed by all attendees in memory of precious lives lost in the tragic Mangaf fire incident recently,” said the Indian Embassy, Kuwait.
The day was also celebrated at the High Commission of India in the Maldives. The event witnessed the participation of Maldivian & Indian Yoga enthusiasts.