**Executive Summary**
On 21 June 2026, the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) organized the 12th International Day of Yoga celebrations in New Delhi and across the Ganga Basin. Centered on the theme "Yoga for Healthy Ageing," the event combined physical wellness with environmental conservation through yoga sessions and a nationwide plantation drive. The programme sought to inspire the public to adopt yoga as a daily practice to support individual health and the broader goals of the Namami Gange rejuvenation project.
**Key Points / Main Content**
**Event Overview and Leadership**
* Organized by the NMCG on behalf of the Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, Ministry of Jal Shakti.
* Led by Secretary Shri V. L. Kantha Rao and Secretary Shri Ashok K. K. Meena in New Delhi.
* Celebrations extended across the Ganga basin at ghats, riverfronts, and water bodies, involving State Program Management Groups (SPMGs) and District Ganga Committees (DGCs).
**Core Themes and Activities**
* **Theme:** The 2026 theme, "Yoga for Healthy Ageing," emphasized physical, mental, and emotional well-being across all age groups.
* **Common Yoga Protocol:** Participants performed standardized asanas and breathing exercises to promote a holistic way of life.
* **Environmental Integration:** A plantation drive titled "Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam" was conducted to symbolize commitment to ecological restoration and sustainable living.
**Strategic Objectives**
* **Holistic Health:** Addressed modern lifestyle imbalances by promoting yoga as a pathway to discipline, harmony, and inner peace.
* **River Rejuvenation:** Linked personal well-being to environmental health, noting that plantation activities reduce soil erosion, enhance green cover, and support groundwater recharge.
* **Community Participation:** Underscored the Namami Gange programme’s reliance on environmentally conscious lifestyles and active public engagement for sustainable river management.
**Impact Analysis**
**Ministry of Jal Shakti and NMCG Officials**
**Impact**
Responsible for spearheading the integration of health and environmental initiatives.
**Action Required**
Continue promoting yoga as a year-round practice and advance the Namami Gange objectives through sustained community participation and environmental awareness.
**Local Communities, Volunteers, and Ganga Praharis**
**Impact**
Directly engaged in activities that link personal health with the ecological health of the Ganga basin.
**Action Required**
Adopt yoga as a regular daily practice and maintain active involvement in riverfront cleanliness and plantation drives.
**Educational Institutions and Youth (e.g., Project Eco Roots Foundation)**
**Impact**
Fosters a generation focused on environmental conservation and physical discipline.
**Action Required**
Integrate the principles of "Yoga for Healthy Ageing" and environmental stewardship into regular educational and extracurricular activities.
Key Entities Referenced
National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG): The implementing agency for river rejuvenation that organized the 12th International Day of Yoga to link personal well-being with ecological health.
Namami Gange: The flagship programme for the conservation and rejuvenation of the Ganga river, providing the broader vision for the event’s community participation and environmental goals.
Ministry of Jal Shakti: The primary ministry responsible for water resources and the administration of the celebrations across its various departments.
Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam: A nationwide plantation campaign integrated into the yoga celebrations to promote environmental conservation and ecological restoration.
Ganga Basin: The central geographical region where celebrations and river rejuvenation activities were conducted across various ghats and water bodies.
Ministry of Jal Shakti
NMCG Organises International Day of Yoga 2026
Celebrations in New Delhi; Events Held Across
Ganga Basin
प्रव तथ: 21 JUN 2026 7:43PM by PIB Delhi
The National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG), on behalf of the Department of Water Resources, River
Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, Ministry of Jal Shakti, organised a special programme to celebrate
the 12th International Day of Yoga in New Delhi on 21 June 2026. The event was graced by Secretary,
Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, Shri V. L. Kantha Rao,
along with Secretary, Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation, Shri Ashok K. K. Meena, officials of
the Ministry of Jal Shakti, volunteers associated with the weekly Yamuna cleanliness drive, members of
the Yamuna Task Force, representatives of NGOs, school children from Project Eco Roots Foundation,
youth volunteers, local communities and other stakeholders committed to environmental conservation and
river rejuvenation.
The celebrations were also conducted across the Ganga basin through the active participation of SPMGs,
DGCs, Ganga Praharis, educational institutions and local communities at ghats, riverfronts and locations
near water bodies. The theme of International Day of Yoga 2026, "Yoga for Healthy Ageing", highlights
the role of yoga in promoting physical, mental and emotional well-being across all age groups.
On the occasion, participants also drew inspiration from the message of Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri
Narendra Modi delivered during the Yoga Day celebrations held in Kolkata, West Bengal. Emphasising
the importance of balanced living, the Prime Minister noted that many of the challenges faced by modern
society stem from lifestyle imbalances and highlighted yoga as a practical pathway towards harmony,
discipline, inner peace and holistic well-being.
Addressing the gathering in New Delhi, Shri V. L. Kantha Rao appreciated the enthusiastic participation of
officials and volunteers and expressed confidence that the Yoga Day programme would inspire people to
adopt yoga as a regular practice in their daily lives. He emphasised that yoga should not remain limited to
a single-day celebration but should become an integral part of a healthy lifestyle throughout the year,
contributing to individual well-being as well as collective societal health.Participants performed yoga asanas and breathing exercises in accordance with the Common Yoga
Protocol, reaffirming the importance of adopting yoga as a way of life for holistic health and well-being.As part of the celebrations, officials and participants undertook a plantation drive under the nationwide
campaign "Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam", symbolising the commitment towards environmental conservation,
ecological restoration and sustainable living. The plantation activity reinforced the message that a healthy
environment and a healthy society go hand in hand.
The celebrations highlighted the intrinsic connection between personal well-being and ecological well-
being. Yoga promotes balance, discipline and harmony with nature, while plantation activities contribute
to improved river health by enhancing green cover, reducing soil erosion, strengthening riverbank
ecosystems and supporting groundwater recharge. Together, these initiatives reflect the broader vision of
river rejuvenation under the Namami Gange programme, which recognises that sustainable rivers depend
upon environmentally conscious lifestyles and active public participation.
The celebrations underscored NMCG's commitment to promoting a healthy and sustainable lifestyle while
advancing the broader objectives of the Namami Gange programme through community participation,
environmental awareness and collective action.
***
ND/HM
(रलीज़ आईडी: 2276309) आगंतुक पटल : 129
इस वज्ञ को इन भाषाओ ंम पढ़: ही