Key Points

He emphasised the importance of incorporating yoga into daily life for better health and well-being and praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi's efforts in popularising yoga globally, saying it has become a widely celebrated practice worldwide.

Speaking to reporters, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said, "We should perform Yoga to stay healthy. With the efforts of PM Modi, Yoga is being celebrated worldwide...We should make yoga a part of our daily life..."

Minister Gadkari was seen performing Gomukasana or Cow Face Pose along with T-pose or an arm extension pose.

The International Day of Yoga is celebrated on June 21. This year marks the 11th International Day of Yoga with the theme "Yoga for One Earth, One Health", which echoes a vital truth that personal wellness and planetary health are inseparably linked.

Events are being held worldwide, with PM Modi participating in a massive yoga gathering in Andhra Pradesh, aiming to set a Guinness World Record with over 300,000 participants.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi took part in the 11th International Day of Yoga celebrations, where he hailed yoga as a gift "beyond age" that transcends all boundaries and unites humanity in "health and harmony."Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged the international community to embrace "inner peace" as a "global policy' and make yoga a collective global responsibility.

Speaking at the 11th International Day of Yoga celebrations in Visakhapatnam, the Prime Minister called upon countries to adopt yoga not just as a personal or cultural practice, but as a unifying force for humanity."I would like to take this opportunity to urge the global community on this important occasion to let this International Yoga Day mark the beginning of Yoga for Humanity. Let this be the day when inner peace becomes a global policy, where yoga is embraced not just as a personal practice, but as a powerful tool for global partnership and unity. Let every country and every society make yoga a shared responsibility, a common contribution toward collective well-being," the Prime Minister said.

The event was held along the scenic Visakhapatnam coastline, with Indian Navy ships stationed near the shore, adding to the grandeur of the celebration. PM Modi was joined by lakhs of yoga enthusiasts, residents, and dignitaries from Andhra Pradesh.

At the start of his address, the Prime Minister extended greetings to people across the world on the occasion of International Yoga Day, marking its 11th year of celebration since the UN recognised June 21 as the global day for yoga in 2014.

In a message about yoga's role in connecting humanity with nature and each other, PM said, "Yoga teaches us that we are not isolated individuals, we are an integral part of nature. In the beginning, it helps us take care of our own health and wellness. But gradually, this awareness expands, and we begin to care not only for ourselves but also for our environment, our society, and our planet. Yoga is a system that takes us from 'Me' to 'We'."

The Prime Minister also reflected on India's 2014 proposal at the United Nations to declare June 21 as International Yoga Day and how, in record time, over 170 countries supported the move. He said that yoga has since grown into a worldwide practice that symbolises peace, balance, and cooperation. This year's celebrations saw participation from lakhs of people across states.

- ANI