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Yoga is humanity's 'pause button' in times of crisis, says PM Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for a renewed global movement—Yoga for Humanity 2.0—as a means to address rising unrest across the world. Speaking at the 11th International Day of Yoga celebrations at RK Beach in Visakhapatnam, PM Modi said yoga offers the 'pause button' that humanity urgently needs.
'In many parts of the world today, we are witnessing growing instability and conflict. In such times, yoga provides a direction of peace and harmony,' he said. 'Let this Yoga Day mark the beginning of Yoga for Humanity 2.0, where inner peace becomes a cornerstone of global policy.'
Highlighting the message of this year's theme—Yoga for One Earth, One Health—the prime minister stressed that human health is intrinsically linked to the well-being of the environment. 'Our health depends on the soil that grows our food, the rivers that quench our thirst, the animals that share our ecosystems, and the plants that nourish us,' he said.
'From me to we': Yoga as a philosophy for unity
PM Narendra Modi described yoga not only as a tool for individual well-being but also as a shared path that connects people across cultures and communities. 'Yoga is a great personal discipline, but it is also a philosophy that moves us from 'Me to We'. It awakens our sense of interconnectedness and leads us towards oneness with the world,' he said.
Recalling the United Nations' adoption of June 21 as International Yoga Day in 2014, PM Modi noted that 175 countries had supported the proposal—a testament to yoga's universal appeal. 'Today, whether at the Sydney Opera House, atop Mount Everest, or across vast oceans, the world is echoing one message: yoga is for everyone.'
He urged people across the globe to embrace the ancient practice not just as a form of exercise, but as a way to cultivate inner balance and a deeper connection to the world around them.
Andhra CM hails Yoga Day as record-breaking success
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, who joined Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the International Day of Yoga celebrations in Visakhapatnam, praised the Prime Minister for transforming yoga into a global wellness movement. He noted that Yoga Day is now observed in over 175 countries and called for its inclusion in international sporting events such as the Asian Games and the Olympics.
Prime Minister Modi, in turn, lauded the Andhra Pradesh leadership—Chief Minister Naidu, Deputy CM Pawan Kalyan, and Minister Nara Lokesh—for their efforts in advancing yoga through the state's 'Yogandhra' initiative.
Later, speaking to the media, Naidu called the event a 'grand success' and announced that the state had set two Guinness World Records. According to him, around 303,000 people participated in a single-location yoga session at RK Beach, with the final count pending confirmation from Guinness World Records officials.
He also highlighted another record attempt: over 22,000 tribal students performed 108 Surya Namaskars in 108 minutes at a single venue. 'We have created history. This is a super hit,' Naidu said.
The Chief Minister further revealed that while the state had anticipated 20 million registrations for Yoga Day, the number surged to 24.5 million participants across Andhra Pradesh.
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