**Executive Summary**
On June 21, 2026, Prime Minister Narendra Modi delivered an address in Kolkata to mark the 12th International Day of Yoga. The speech centered on the theme "Yoga for Healthy Ageing," emphasizing yoga as a tool for global unity, mental clarity, and physical resilience across all age groups. Key action items include a call for citizens to integrate yoga into their daily lives and families through initiatives like the "Yoga 365" program.
**Key Points / Main Content**
**Theme and Health Philosophy**
* **Yoga for Healthy Ageing:** The 2026 theme focuses on ensuring age does not diminish human potential, aiming for greater flexibility and energy at older ages compared to younger years.
* **Holistic Health:** Yoga is defined as a bridge between mental and physical health, providing a path to "union with consciousness" rather than just physical exercise.
* **The Principle of Balance:** Following the teachings of the Gita, yoga promotes balance in food, recreation, sleep, and duty to destroy sorrow and manage modern lifestyle stress.
**Regional and Spiritual Context**
* **Bengal’s Legacy:** The Prime Minister highlighted West Bengal as a sacred land of yoga, citing the contributions of saints and thinkers like Swami Vivekananda, Maharshi Aurobindo, and Rabindranath Tagore.
* **Yoga of Cleanliness:** The "Swachhata Se Swagat" initiative in Kolkata was commended as a "Yoga of Cleanliness," linking civic duty and spiritual practice.
**Global Initiatives and Participation**
* **Yoga 365:** This initiative promotes yoga throughout the year, featuring a 100-day online program that engaged over 3 million participants from 130 countries.
* **Global Unity:** June 21st is recognized as the world's largest collective celebration, using yoga to connect humanity across geographical boundaries.
**Institutional Vision**
* **Daily Practice:** The address urges a shift from viewing yoga as a one-day event to making it a permanent part of family culture and the lives of future generations.
* **National Prosperity:** A healthy society is framed as the foundation for a more capable, prosperous, and confident nation.
**Impact Analysis**
**General Public**
**Impact**
Citizens are encouraged to view yoga as a lifestyle necessity for personal peace and self-management rather than a mere physical routine.
**Action Required**
Take a pledge to integrate yoga into daily life and family routines beyond the annual International Yoga Day.
**Aging Population (Elderly)**
**Impact**
The "Yoga for Healthy Ageing" focus empowers older individuals to maintain energy levels and resist lifestyle diseases.
**Action Required**
Adopt regular yoga practice to maintain flexibility and active engagement as age advances.
**Global Community / International Participants**
**Impact**
Millions are connected through shared health goals and the "Yoga 365" digital outreach, fostering a sense of world peace.
**Action Required**
Continue participation in large-scale online programs and collective celebrations to sustain the global yoga movement.
Key Entities Referenced
International Day of Yoga: The primary global event and occasion for the Prime Minister's address, focused on the collective celebration and promotion of yoga.
Yoga for Healthy Ageing: The specific theme for the 12th International Day of Yoga, highlighting the role of yoga in maintaining health, energy, and resistance to lifestyle diseases as people age.
Yoga 365: An initiative involving a 100-day online yoga program designed to encourage making yoga a daily part of life, reaching participants across 130 countries.
Swachhata Se Swagat: A cleanliness and civic duty initiative undertaken in Bengal, cited as an inspiration for the nation during the yoga celebrations.
Kolkata, West Bengal: The central location for the 12th International Day of Yoga celebrations and the site from which the Prime Minister delivered his address.
Prime Minister's Office
English rendering of PM’s address at 12th
International Day of Yoga celebrations in Kolkata,
West Bengal
प्रव तथ: 21 JUN 2026 8:25AM by PIB Delhi
Honourable Governor Shri R. N. Ravi Ji, the energetic Chief Minister Shri Suvendu Adhikari Ji, my
colleague in the Union Government Shri Prataprao Jadhav Ji, all other distinguished dignitaries present on
the dais, all the participants gathered here in Kolkata, everyone joining this Yoga celebration from across
India and around the world, and my dear fellow countrymen, My greetings to all of you.
June 21st is the day when, in some parts of the Earth, the longest duration of daylight occurs. And because
of International Yoga Day, June 21st has also become the day of the world’s largest collective celebration.
From different corners of the globe, extraordinary images of yoga are arriving. In India, from the
Himalayas to the Indian Ocean, from the Northeast and Bengal in the east to Saurashtra in the west, the
entire nation appears filled with the energy and consciousness of yoga. The whole country, the whole
world, looks connected - and that is the true power of yoga. Yoga unites everyone, yoga brings everyone
together. On this occasion, I extend my heartfelt greetings to the entire world, to all of humanity, on
International Yoga Day.
Friends,
Today, on Yoga Day, I would like to commend the people of Kolkata for the Yoga of Cleanliness that has
been created here, especially in Bengal. This is a wonderful initiative – the consistent efforts and civic
duty that have been undertaken here for the Swachhata Se Swagat initiative have become a great
inspiration for all our countrymen.
Friends,
Being in Bengal on the occasion of Yoga Day is truly special. This sacred land of Bengal, where saints like
Bhagwan Ramakrishna Paramhansa were born, where Swami Vivekananda introduced yoga to the entire
world, where great yogis like Maharshi Aurobindo were born, where Lahiri Mahasaya elevated the yoga
tradition to new heights - experiencing collective yoga on this soil gives a unique spiritual feeling.
Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore, born on this land, believed that the identity of man lies not in remaining
separate, but in connecting with the world around him. This connection is the essence of yoga. Maharshi
Aurobindo also said - our entire life is yoga, whether we are aware of it or not. When yoga becomes part
of our nature, it becomes the foundation of human unity.
Friends,
Yoga is not merely a means of physical exercise. Yoga is not limited to any one age group. In India, we
know and have seen that yoga is a light in human life, a union with consciousness and energy. That is why
this year’s theme for International Yoga Day has been chosen as Yoga for Healthy Ageing. Even as age
advances, we can remain healthy, energetic, and active - yoga shows us the way for this.Friends,
When we speak of "Yoga for Healthy Aging," It means that we can work to ensure that age does not
reduce human potential. Yoga can help human life to aspire for constant growth. Our target must be to be
more flexible at 40 than we were at 20. Our target must be to be more energetic at 50 than we were at 30.
Our target must be to be more resistant to lifestyle diseases at 70 than we were at 50. This is where Yoga
can help us. It helps us tune our bodies to be flexible. It keeps our energy levels high, it also helps us
maintain a calm stress-free life and helps keep lifestyle diseases away. Moreover, with regular practice,
Yoga teaches us to remain lifelong learners of our own bodies and minds. The more we know about
ourselves, the better we can manage ourselves. That is why, Yoga for Healthy Aging. This theme must be
seen as one for people of all ages, not just for the elderly.
Friends,
In the Gita, Lord Krishna spoke about yoga: “Yukta ahara viharasya, yukta cheshtasya karmasu, Yukta
swapnavabodhasya, yogo bhavati dukhaha.” This means through balanced food and recreation, balanced
actions and duties, balanced sleep and wakefulness, yoga becomes the destroyer of sorrow. Balance is the
foundation of yoga. Balance is also the foundation of our lives. Yet, in modern times, most people struggle
with imbalance in life. Yoga teaches us the art of living in a balanced way. Yoga shows us the do’s and
don’ts. And when we learn to guide our body properly, health becomes our natural state.
Friends,
Yoga does not only focus on our physical health. Yoga shows the path from mental health to physical
health. That is why it is said in yoga - “Yukta cheshtasya karmasu” - meaning, awareness of what we
should do and what we should not do. This awareness becomes a source of peace in our lives, and it also
opens the path to world peace. That is why yoga today is not only essential for our personal lifestyle, but it
is also a necessity for a better future of the world.
Friends,
On International Yoga Day, millions of people connect with yoga. But today gives us the opportunity to
renew our shared resolve. Let us pledge that yoga will not be limited to just one day, yoga will not be
confined to just one program. We will make yoga a part of our lives, a part of our families, and a part of
future generations.
Friends,
In this direction, the initiative “Yoga 365” has also been advanced this year. Under this, a 100-day online
yoga program was organized, which saw unprecedented public participation. More than 3 million people
from 130 countries took part in it.
Friends,
When society is healthy, the nation becomes more capable, more prosperous, and more confident. I wish
for all of you: “Sarve bhavantu sukhinah, sarve santu niramayah.” With this, I once again extend my
heartfelt greetings to all of you on International Yoga Day.
Thank you very much!
DISCLAIMER -This is the approximate translation of Prime Minister's Speech. Original Speech
was delivered in Hindi.
*****
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