Along with 15,000 fitness enthusiasts, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is leading a mass Yoga event at the Mysuru Palace grounds in Karnataka on the occasion of International Day of Yoga today (on June 21). The theme for this year’s IDY celebrations is ‘Yoga for Humanity’. The programme, to mark the eighth International Yoga Day, is being held at 75,000 places.

Around 25 crore people across the world are expected to participate in various events, doing yoga in unison towards better health and wellness for all, Union Ayush Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, who has joined PM Modi in Mysuru, had earlier said. Two days ago, PM Modi had urged citizens to make yoga a part of their daily life. He said that there are “countless benefits” of the fitness form. On May 29, Modi, during his address at the 89th edition of his monthly radio program ‘Mann Ki Baat’, had urged people to mark the upcoming International Yoga Day at some iconic place of their town, village or city. He had also called Yoga ‘perfect blend of gyaan, karm and bhakti’.

Why is Yoga Day Celebrated?
The International Day of Yoga is celebrated every year on June 21, which is also the summer solstice — the longest day of the year. The idea for the day was proposed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his speech at the 69th session of the General Assembly in 2014. The aim of International Yoga Day is to spread awareness about the benefits of yoga.

The idea for the day was proposed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his speech at the 69th session of the General Assembly in 2014. “Yoga embodied the unity of mind and body; thought and action; restraint and fulfilment; harmony between man and nature; a holistic approach to health and well-being. It was not about exercise, but about discovering the sense of oneness with self, the world and nature,” he had said. For those who practice yoga on a daily basis, it is not just an exercise but a way of living. According to the United Nations, yoga stands as an emblem for creating balance and harmony.