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Prime Minister Narendra Modi will on Sunday morning lead the nation in observing the 12th International Day of Yoga from the Red Road here. This year's theme for the International Day of Yoga is "Yoga for Healthy Ageing," highlighting its role in promoting physical health, mental well-being, emotional resilience and active ageing, contributing to an improved quality of life. Modi will address a gathering at the Red Road in central Kolkata while participating in the common yoga protocol session with thousands of yoga practitioners during the programme, an official statement said. Yoga Day celebrations are being organised across nearly 2,500 locations worldwide, with participation from more than 210 Indian missions and posts, reaffirming yoga's status as a global movement for health, harmony and collective well-being, it said. Since its inception in 2015, when the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) adopted India's proposal to observe June 21 as the International Day of Yoga, the
Commemorating the International Day of Yoga, UN chief Antonio Guterres has said that from its deep roots in ancient India, yoga has become truly universal, helping millions of all faiths. The Permanent Mission of India to the UN marked the 12th International Day of Yoga at the world body's headquarters on Thursday on the theme of 'Yoga for Healthy Ageing'. Vibrant yoga mats were neatly arranged at the North Lawns of the UN headquarters in the vicinity of the iconic Gandhi statue, as yoga practitioners, diplomats, UN officials, members of the diplomatic corps and the Indian-American community participated in the Yoga Day celebrations. On the stage, a special banner announcing India's candidature as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for the 2028-29 term was also displayed with the message '#India4UNSC 2028-29 Peace, Planet, Progress.' In his message to mark the International Day of Yoga, Secretary General Antonio Guterres said that "we come together to celebrate an ..
A team of Yoga athletes from the United States is heading to India to participate in the maiden World Yogasana Championship to be held in Ahmedabad from June 4 to 8. The United States Yogasana Sports Federation (USYSF), in collaboration with the United States Yoga Association (USYA) and World Yogasana, has announced the official Team USA delegation for the championship, according to a press release issued by Yoga Association USA. Yoga Association USA and USYSF founder and president Balwinder Singh will lead the 11-member US contingent at the event, it said. The team, heading to India, was selected following quarterfinal trials held in Connecticut in April. Athletes in the delegation will compete in youth and senior categories, with participants ranging in age from 10 to 55 years. Ahead of their departure, members of the US Yogasana team visited the Consulate General of India in New York last week and met Deputy Consul General Vishal Harsh. The Consulate wished the athletes success
At 35,000 feet above the ground, time seems to slow down, and so does the body. Hours spent in a confined seat can leave even the most seasoned traveller feeling stiff, fatigued, and mentally drained. Addressing this travel challenge, a simple yet powerful solution is taking flight: Yoga for Air Travel a thoughtfully designed 5-minute in-flight wellness protocol. Launched during the Yoga Mahotsav 2026 recently by Union Health Minister Prataprao Jadhav, this innovative initiative brings the timeless knowledge of yoga into the cabin, transforming your seat into a space for rejuvenation. Developed by the Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga, the protocol is tailored for today's frequent flyers offering a quick, safe, and effective way to stay refreshed mid-air. Highlighting the vision behind the initiative, Jadhav said, "Yoga is a powerful tool for preventive health and well-being. This in-flight yoga protocol reflects our commitment to making yoga accessible in every setting e
Salon and fitness bills are likely to get cheaper as the GST rate on beauty and physical well-being services, including those at health clubs, salons, barbers, fitness centres, yoga, etc, has been slashed from 18 per cent with Input Tax Credit (ITC), to 5 per cent without tax credit. Also, daily use products like hair oil, toilet soap bars, shampoos, toothbrushes, toothpaste, too, are likely to get cheaper as taxes on them have been cut to 5 per cent from 12/18 per cent currently. The new Goods and Services Tax (GST) rate will be effective from September 22. As part of the rate rationalisation exercise at the 56th meeting of the GST Council, the Centre and states consented to reduce GST from 18 per cent to 5 per cent on beauty and physical well-being services used by the common man, including services of gyms, salons, barbers, yoga centres, etc. Other daily use items like talcum powder, face powder, shaving cream and aftershave lotion, too, could see the reduction in prices as GST
Yoga offers a time-tested path to live more peacefully at a time when stress and mental health challenges are on the rise, India's envoy to the UN has said at a special guided meditation session here to mark International Yoga Day. Eminent physician, author and wellness guru Deepak Chopra led the session at the UN headquarters hosted by the Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations to mark the day on Friday evening. Colourful yoga mats were neatly arranged at the North Lawns of the UN headquarters as over 1,200 yoga practitioners, diplomats, UN officials, members of the diplomatic corps and the diaspora community participated in the 11th International Yoga Day celebrations. India's Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador P Harish, in his welcome address, said that this year's theme for the day - Yoga for One Earth, One Health' is rooted in the One Earth, One Health' approach introduced during India's G20 presidency in 2023. The theme underscores the vital truth that ou
India Inc leaders on Saturday gave a clarion call to make yoga a part of lifestyle, asserting that the 'precious gift from India' provides path of pure discipline, resilience, and endless self-discovery. On the International Day of Yoga, they took part in yoga sessions held in different parts of the country. In a post on social media platform X, Apollo Hospitals Group Joint Managing Director Sangita Reddy said she has been practising yoga for decades and "I'm still uncovering new truths!". She further wrote, "The most profound? How deeply our breath is tied to our emotions. It's a game-changer: learn to control your breath, and you'll find you can navigate your emotional world. This path is pure discipline, resilience, and endless self-discovery. Happy Yoga Day!" Similarly, Jindal Steel and Power Chairman Naveen Jindal said, "Yoga is a precious gift from India - it is a discipline, a practice, and a way of life. Let's make yoga our lifestyle." Jindal, who is also a BJP Member of .
A new study finds that 74 per cent of millennials include yoga in their daily wellness routines, making them the leading age group in regular practice, closely followed by Gen X at 70 per cent. Conducted by ICICI Lombard General Insurance with a sample of nearly 1,000 respondents across both metro and non-metro areas, the pan-India study released on International Yoga Day explores health practices, motivations, and awareness levels -- providing a snapshot of how Indians are weaving wellness into their everyday routines. "As stress and burnout become the new epidemic, yoga is not just making a comeback it's becoming a daily essential. India's timeless contribution to global health, yoga, offers a powerful, holistic path to living well. "Our latest report shows that 74 per cent of millennials now practise yoga regularly a compelling indicator that today's middle-aged are investing not just in longevity, but in ageing well," said Sheena Kapoor, head marketing, corporate communication
President Droupadi Murmu on Saturday described yoga as a shining example of India's soft power and said it has now become a shared legacy of entire mankind. Addressing a programme here at the police lines on the occasion of yoga day the President said that ever since the United Nations adopted India's proposal in 2015 to observe June 21 as the International Day of Yoga (IDY), most countries across the world have made yoga a part of their daily lives and are benefitting from it. "It has now become a shared legacy of the entire mankind," she said. Citing examples of yoga's growing international popularity, she mentioned Kuwaiti yoga practitioner Sheikha Shaikha Ali Al-Jaber Al Sabah, who was conferred with the Padma Shri by the government of India for promoting yoga and unifying cultures through it. "Yoga is not connected with any religion, sect or community. It is an art of leading a healthy life," the President said, appealing to everyone to embrace it as a daily practice for menta
Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Saturday said the state government is taking initiatives to include yoga in the school curriculum and public health programme as this helps create a healthy, self-reliant and efficient India. Addressing a state-level programme on the occasion of International Yoga Day at Kalinga Stadium here, he said yoga is not just a physical exercise but something that keeps the body, mind and soul active. The programme, organised by Odisha's Sports and Youth Affairs Department, was attended by over 10,000 people, including ministers, lawmakers, bureaucrats, students, women and others. In Odisha, we are making yoga available to everyone. We organise awareness campaigns on yoga in schools, colleges, hostels and sporting centres. We can also include yoga in school curriculum and public health programmes, the chief minister said. Majhi said that the awareness programmes on yoga teach people to maintain a healthy life. Though yoga has been practised in In