Yoga Day will be observed in 2,500 locations abroad

Over 210 Indian Missions abroad will mark the 12th International Day of Yoga on June 21 at nearly 2,500 global venues, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi leading the national event from Kolkata’s Red Road. This year’s theme, “Yoga for Healthy Ageing”, highlights yoga’s role in preventive healthcare and dignified ageing.

Kolkata/New Delhi: More than 210 Indian Missions abroad will organise International Day of Yoga celebrations at nearly 2,500 locations worldwide on June 21, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi leading the national event from Kolkata’s iconic Red Road.

The 12th edition of the International Day of Yoga (IDY) will be celebrated across India and across the world under the theme “Yoga for Healthy Ageing”, with nearly 10 lakh people expected to participate in synchronised yoga sessions across Kolkata alone.

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The national celebration at Red Road will begin at 5 am, where around 35,000 participants are expected to join the celebrations, with Modi leading the Common Yoga Protocol (CYP), marking another milestone in India’s efforts to promote yoga as a global movement for health and well-being.

According to the Ministry of Ayush, the event will reaffirm yoga’s growing role as a global movement promoting health, harmony and collective well-being.

This year’s theme, “Yoga for Healthy Ageing”, highlights the importance of adopting yoga as a lifelong practice to support healthy, active and dignified ageing. The theme underscores yoga’s contribution as a preventive healthcare approach that enhances physical vitality, mental resilience and emotional balance, the ministry said.

Ahead of the main celebrations, the ministry’s ‘Yoga Sangam Portal’ has achieved a major milestone, with organisational registrations crossing the six lakh mark and continuing to rise steadily, the statement said.

The ministry said International Day of Yoga 2026 continues to witness remarkable global participation, with events being organised by Indian Missions across nearly 2,500 venues worldwide through the coordinated efforts of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR).

Adding a cultural dimension to the celebrations, the Ministry of Culture, in collaboration with the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), is organising special yoga programmes at 100 iconic locations across the country.

Major events will be held at 12 prominent sites, including the Red Fort in New Delhi, Haridwar, Konark, Hampi, Mahabalipuram, Mumbai, Nalanda, Ahmedabad, Sarnath, Leh, Hyderabad and Silchar, linking India’s cultural heritage with its enduring yoga traditions.

Participants at Red Road will also be offered Ayush Aahar as part of efforts to promote holistic health and wellness.

The Ministry of Ayush has invited citizens from all walks of life to participate in large numbers and strengthen the message of “Yoga for Healthy Ageing”, while inspiring people across the world to embrace yoga as a way of life.