PM Modi Leads 11th International Day of Yoga Celebrations in Visakhapatnam: Calls for ‘Yoga for Humanity 2.0′.
Visakhapatnam:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the 11th International Day of Yoga (IDY) celebrations in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh today, underlining yoga’s universal relevance and transformative power. He participated in a mass yoga session and delivered a keynote address that emphasized yoga’s role in fostering global unity and individual well-being.
Greeting people across the country and the world, Modi celebrated the fact that for the 11th consecutive year, nations have come together on June 21 to embrace yoga as a shared practice. “Yoga has united the entire world,” he stated, noting how 175 countries supported India’s initial proposal for International Yoga Day at the United Nations — a rare instance of such global solidarity.
He observed that yoga has become an integral part of life for millions worldwide, cutting across boundaries of geography, background, age, and ability. Modi highlighted inspirational examples including visually impaired individuals reading yogic texts in Braille, scientists practicing yoga in space, and youth from rural areas participating in Yoga Olympiads.
The Prime Minister expressed appreciation for the setting of this year’s celebration, describing Visakhapatnam as a city where “nature meets progress.” He commended the organisers for their efforts and congratulated Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and Pawan Kalyan for their leadership. Modi also praised Nara Lokesh for leading the ‘Yogandhra Abhiyan’, noting his dedication to making yoga a truly inclusive social movement. With over two crore participants, the campaign reflects the spirit of a people-led development model, he said.
This year’s theme, “Yoga for One Earth, One Health”, resonated throughout the Prime Minister’s speech. “Yoga teaches us we are not isolated individuals but integral parts of nature,” he said. He emphasized that yoga begins with personal health but leads individuals toward environmental consciousness, social well-being, and planetary harmony. “Yoga is a system that takes us from Me to We,” he said, urging people to move beyond self-interest to collective welfare.
In a call to the global community, Modi urged that this Yoga Day mark the beginning of “Yoga for Humanity 2.0” — a global movement where Inner Peace becomes Global Policy. “Yoga is the pause button humanity needs, to breathe, to balance, to become whole again,” he remarked, calling on governments and societies to integrate yoga into lifestyle and public policy frameworks.
He also stressed the scientific validation of yoga, noting that premier institutions like AIIMS are researching its benefits for cardiac and neurological disorders, mental wellness, and women’s health. He emphasized India’s commitment to evidence-based wellness through the National Ayush Mission and highlighted the role of technology, with over one million yoga events registered via national portals.
Modi noted the rising global appeal of India’s wellness traditions under the “Heal in India” initiative. He announced the introduction of special e-Ayush visas to support international access to India’s holistic health ecosystem. Efforts such as standardizing yoga through a Common Yoga Protocol and expanding yoga education in medical colleges were also underscored.
Addressing the growing issue of obesity, the Prime Minister reiterated his call to reduce oil consumption by 10% and encouraged people to adopt healthier diets along with daily yoga practice.
Concluding his address, Modi called upon people everywhere to turn yoga into a jan andolan — a people’s movement — and start each day with yoga. “Yoga should serve as a thread that weaves humanity together,” he said. “Yoga for One Earth, One Health should become a global resolution.”
Dignitaries at the event included Andhra Pradesh Governor Syed Abdul Nazeer, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, and Union Ministers Rammohan Naidu Kinjarapu, Jadhav Prataprao Ganpatrao, Dr. Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani, and Bhupathi Raju Srinivasa Varma.
