Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the national celebrations of the 12th International Day of Yoga from Kolkata’s Red Road on Sunday, joining approximately 35,000 participants in performing the Common Yoga Protocol.
Red Road, one of the city’s most iconic venues, saw tens of thousands gather for the event, which was expected to draw nearly 10 lakh people across synchronised yoga sessions at multiple locations in Kolkata. Modi also acknowledged the city’s efforts, expressing appreciation for the people of Kolkata and Bengal for their commitment to cleanliness and yoga on the occasion.
Modi calls yoga a lifelong practice
Addressing the crowd, Modi urged citizens to treat yoga as a daily discipline rather than a once-a-year observance. “Let us take a pledge that we will not limit yoga to just one day, we will not limit yoga to just one program; we will make yoga a part of our life,” he said.
He added that yoga should be passed on to future generations and embedded within family routines. To support this goal, the government is advancing the Yoga 365 initiative this year, aimed at encouraging daily practice throughout the year rather than limiting engagement to the annual event.
Health of society tied to strength of nation
The Prime Minister stressed a direct connection between public health and national prosperity. “When society is healthy, the nation becomes stronger, more prosperous, and more self-confident,” he said. He concluded his address with the Sanskrit prayer, “Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinah, Sarve Santu Niramayah,” meaning may all be happy and may all be free from illness.
Theme: Yoga for Healthy Ageing
This year’s International Yoga Day was organised under the theme “Yoga for Healthy Ageing,” focusing on how yoga can support physical well-being, mental health, and active lifestyles across all age groups. Modi spoke specifically about yoga’s potential to help people remain capable and energetic in their later years.
“When we speak of ‘Yoga for Healthy Aging,’ it means that we can work to ensure that age does not reduce human potential,” he said. “Our target must be to be more flexible at 40 than we were at 20.” He described yoga not as something that slows decline, but as a practice that enables continued growth across a person’s lifetime.
Wisdom from the Bhagavad Gita
Modi drew from ancient Indian scripture to reinforce the philosophy behind yoga. He quoted a verse from the Bhagavad Gita in which Lord Krishna links balanced living to the removal of suffering: “Yuktahara-viharasya yukta-cheshtasya karmasu, yukta-svapnavabodhasya yogo bhavati duhkha-ha.”
He explained the verse to mean that a balanced diet, lifestyle, duties, and sleep together make yoga a destroyer of suffering. The reference tied yoga’s modern health message to its classical philosophical roots.