pm-leads-yoga-day-event-from-kolkata-s-red-road-thousands-join

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday led the nation in observing the 12th International Day of Yoga from Kolkata’s Red Road, where thousands of people joined him in performing the morning exercises. Participating in the Common Yoga Protocol session, Modi performed yoga alongside thousands of practitioners at the iconic venue, flanked by the Indian Army’s Eastern Command headquarters on one side and the sprawling Maidan on the other.

 

"June 21, which marks the longest day on Earth, has now become the largest community celebration day because of yoga. Yoga brings people together. I congratulate the people of the world on this occasion," he said.

 

The PM also congratulated the people of Kolkata for pursuing the 'Swachhata Se Swagat' initiative with dedication.

 

Referring to this year's International Day of Yoga theme, 'Yoga for Healthy Ageing', Modi said the ancient practice plays a crucial role in promoting physical health, mental well-being and active ageing, thereby improving the quality of life.

 

"Yoga is not just physical exercise. It is not restricted to any age group. It is an expression of the human spirit," he said.

 

Emphasising the importance of healthy ageing, Modi said efforts must be made to ensure that advancing age does not reduce human potential.

 

"When we speak of yoga for healthy ageing, we can work to ensure that age does not reduce human potential. Our target is to be more flexible at 40 than we were at 20. We aim to be more energetic at 50 than we were at 30," he added.

 

Yoga Day celebrations are planned at 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, according to an official statement.

 

Since the inception of the International Day of Yoga in 2015, following the adoption of India’s proposal by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) to observe June 21 as Yoga Day, Modi has led celebrations from various locations, including New Delhi, Chandigarh, Lucknow, Mysuru, New York, Srinagar, and Visakhapatnam, it added.