“India is celebrating its great yoga tradition, which has shown humanity the path to a healthy, balanced and meaningful life. Yoga is a priceless gift of India’s cultural heritage to the global community and is the result of thousands of years of spiritual practice by sages and seers. From the sacred land that gifted the world the invaluable knowledge of yoga, the message of health, balance, peace, and self-realisation is once again being spread across the globe,” said President Dourpadi Murmu while addressing the State-level International Yoga Day event held at at Garrison Ground in Jabalpur, on Sunday. The President greeted everyone on International Yoga Day-2026 themed on ‘Yoga for Healthy Ageing’, recalling that continues to grow internationally, showcasing India’s cultural strength. She stressed that yoga is not merely a means to maintain physical health but also promotes mental peace and emotional balance. In today’s fast-paced lifestyle, yoga offers a simple, effective, and accessible solution to prevent lifestyle-related diseases and ensure holistic health. She appreciated the the Government continuous efforts to expand yoga education, research, training and public awareness and urged everyone to make yoga an integral part of their daily lives. Governor Patel said that yoga is not only a means to physical fitness but also a way of making life balanced, simple, and joyful. The healthy lifestyle advocated by India's ancient wisdom is now being embraced across the world. Expressing gratitude to PM Narendra Modi for his vision and unwavering commitment in securing global recognition for yoga, he noted that pranayama brings renewed energy and positive thinking, while meditation offers an opportunity for self-reflection and inner peace. Practicing yoga, meditation, and pranayama for just 20–30 minutes daily can bring meaningful positive changes in life. Chief Minister Dr Yadav stated that it is a happy coincidence that this celebration comes as Prime Minister Narendra Modi completes 12 successful years in office.

 

Yoga sessions were conducted at around 2,500 locations worldwide, with participation from more than 210 Indian missions and embassies. Dr Yadav said, “India has gifted yoga to the world as a tool for human welfare and has always united people through its wisdom and values. Prime Minister Modi has successfully introduced India’s ancient spiritual traditions and rich Sanatan culture to the global stage. When he proposed International Yoga Day at the United Nations in 2015, more than 175 countries supported the initiative.” The Chief Minister informed that Yoga is being practiced in over 200 countries on Yoga Day. Madhya Pradesh has successfully implemented ‘Har Ghar Yoga’ campaign and around 300–350 million people participated in collective yoga sessions this year. Paying tributes to Lord Shiva (Adi Yogi) and Maharishi Patanjali, the pioneer of Ashtanga Yoga, Dr Yadav expressed proud that the 12th International Yoga Day State-level celebration was held in Jabalpur in the presence of President Murmu. The Chief Minister emphasised that Sanatan culture has given the eternal message of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’. Madhya Pradesh has historically been a land of yogis and spiritual seekers. Lord Krishna received yogic knowledge here and studied at Sandipani Ashram in Ujjain, where he mastered 64 arts and 14 branches of knowledge, with yoga being among the most important. The Chief Minister presented mementos to President Murmu and Governor Patel. The programme began and concluded with the national song and national anthem. Governor Patel, CM Dr Mohan Yadav, Deputy Chief Minister and District In-charge Minister Jagdish Devda, Higher Education, Technical Education and AYUSH Minister Inder Singh Parmar, Public Works Minister, Rakesh Singh, Panchayat and Rural Development and Labour Minister, Prahlad Singh Patel, MP (Rajya Sabha), Sumitra Valmiki, MP, Ashish Dubey, all the MLAs, Jabalpur Mayor Jagat Bahadur Singh, public representatives, administrative and police officials performed yoga at the State-level event with nearly, 5,000 practitioners. The national-level celebration of International Yoga Day, themed ‘Yoga for Healthy Ageing’, was held in Kolkata under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Participants, during the State-level event, attended the live telecast of the Prime Minister’s address from Kolkata.