How PM Modi celebrated International Yoga Day since 2015

Yoga has become a cultural link that unites individuals from different continents, with the yearly celebrations of International Yoga Day evolving into a worldwide phenomenon. Yoga comes from the Sanskrit word “yuj” and means to “join” or to “yoke”. It is a pathway to positive changes in body and mind.

After coming to power in 2014, Prime Minister Narendra Modi proposed the idea of the International Day of Yoga at the United Nations General Assembly. Recognising its universal appeal, on December 11, 2014, the United Nations proclaimed June 21 as the International Day of Yoga by resolution 69/131.

This year marks the 11th International Day of Yoga, and PM Modi led the celebrations from Visakhapatnam.

Here’s a look at how Mr. Modi celebrated International Day of Yoga from 2015 to 2025:

2015: Rajpath (Kartavya Path)

A massive yoga demonstration was held at Rajpath with Mr. Modi calling it ‘Yogpath’. Barring the ‘vrikshasana’, he followed the entire Common Yoga Protocol that had been put together for the record­ attempting event on Rajpath to mark the worldwide celebration of the first International Yoga Day.

“Yoga for Harmony and Peace” was the slogan for the first International Day of Yoga. 

2016: Chandigarh

Leading the second International Day of Yoga in Chandigarh, Mr. Modi pitched the ancient Indian discipline as a viable solution for countries with low health budgets. Over 30,000 people took part in a 45-minute yoga session at the Capitol Complex.

2017: Lucknow

Massive yoga practice sessions and demonstrations took place across the country and the world on the third yoga day with Mr. Modi leading from Lucknow. Addressing a huge gathering at the Ramabai Ambedkar Maidan, Mr. Modi said, “The traditional practice has now become part of every person’s life.”

2018: Dehradun

Mr. Modi performed yoga with over 50,000 enthusiasts at the Forest Research Institute (FRI) campus in Dehradun and said the ancient Indian discipline has emerged as a “powerful unifying” force in a strife-torn world. “Dehradun to Dublin, Shanghai to Chicago, Jakarta to Johannesburg, Himalayan highlands or sunburnt deserts, yoga is enriching millions of lives all over the world,” he said.

2019: Ranchi

India celebrated the fifth International Yoga Day on June 21, 2019. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, along with other Ministers and key BJP leaders , led yoga demonstration which was attended by thousands of citizens at Prabhat Tara ground in Ranchi, Jharkhand.

2020: At home celebrations amid COVID-19

In view of the COVID-19 pandemic, International Yoga Day 202 was celebrated on digital media platforms, and there were no mass gatherings. The theme was ‘Yoga at Home and Yoga with Family’. In his nearly 15-minute address, Mr. Modi said that due to the pandemic, the world was feeling the need for yoga more than ever. “If our immunity is strong, it is of great help in defeating this disease. For boosting immunity, there are several methods in yoga, various ‘asanas’ are there. These ‘asanas’ are such that they increase the strength of the body and strengthen our metabolism,” he said.

2021: Yoga a ‘ray of hope’ amid COVID-19

Mr. Modi termed yoga a “ray of hope” and a source of strength in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic in 2021. He also spoke of the M-Yoga application, in collaboration with the World Health Organisation (WHO). The app has videos of yoga training based on a Common Yoga Protocol and is available in different languages.

2022: Mysuru

Yoga brings peace to our universe, Mr. Modi said, as he led the main event of the International Day of Yoga in the backdrop of the iconic Mysuru Palace. Thousands of people joined the Prime Minister in the mass Yoga demonstration. “This whole universe starts from our own body and soul. The universe starts from us,” he said.

2023: U.N. Headquarters

Mr. Modi-led Yoga celebration at the U.N. headquarters in New York created a Guinness World Record for the participation of people of most nationalities. The historic event was attended by top U.N. officials, diplomats and prominent personalities.

2024: Srinagar

Addressing the 10th International Day of Yoga event in Srinagar’s Sher-i-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC), with the Dal Lake in its backdrop, the PM said those who practice yoga could use any incantations “whether it’s Allah, Ishwar or Waheguru”. Mr. Modi also said that 100 institutes in India and 10 major foreign institutes have been recognised by the Yoga Certification Board instituted by the Ministry of AYUSH.

2025: Visakhapatnam

The Prime Minister led the 11th International Day of Yoga celebrations and participated in a Yoga session at an event in Visakhapatnam, in Andhra Pradesh. Speaking about this year’s International Day of Yoga theme, “Yoga for One Earth, One Health”, the Prime Minister said it conveys a fundamental truth: the well-being of all life on Earth is interconnected. 

He made an appeal to the global community, proposing that “this Yoga Day marks the beginning of Yoga for Humanity 2.0, where inner peace becomes global policy.”