**Executive Summary**
On June 21, 2026, Union Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports, Smt. Raksha Khadse, participated in the International Day of Yoga celebrations at the SAI Regional Centre in Mumbai. The event brought together over 300 athletes and officials to promote holistic well-being and reinforce the commitment to a healthier India. The program emphasized the integration of yoga into daily routines to enhance sporting performance and mental resilience.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Event Details and Participation**
* The celebrations were held at the Sports Authority of India (SAI) Regional Centre in Kandivali, Mumbai.
* More than 300 participants attended, including athletes, coaches, support staff, and yoga enthusiasts.
* Dignitaries in attendance included former Lok Sabha members Dr. Heena Gavit and Dr. Pritam Gopinath Munde, alongside SAI Regional Director Shri Pandurang Chate.
* **Program Activities**
* The event commenced with a Common Yoga Protocol (CYP) session featuring yoga postures, breathing exercises, and meditation under expert guidance.
* Special demonstrations were conducted to showcase the physical, mental, and spiritual benefits of yoga for all age groups.
* **Core Objectives and Benefits**
* The initiative aimed to highlight yoga’s role in achieving physical fitness, emotional balance, and mental resilience.
* Specific benefits noted for athletes include improved concentration, flexibility, faster recovery, and enhanced mental preparedness.
* The event served to promote the global movement of yoga and the vision of a "healthier and fitter India."
**Impact Analysis**
**Athletes and Youth**
**Impact**
Participants gain access to tools that complement sporting excellence by improving flexibility, recovery, and concentration.
**Action Required**
Athletes are encouraged to make yoga and meditation a permanent part of their daily training routines.
**Sports Authority of India (SAI) Officials and Coaches**
**Impact**
The organization reaffirms its role as a hub for promoting holistic health and discipline within the sporting community.
**Action Required**
Staff and coaches must continue to facilitate expert-led yoga sessions and integrate these practices into athlete development programs.
**Yoga Enthusiasts and General Public**
**Impact**
The event fosters a spirit of unity and highlights yoga as an accessible pathway to inner peace and collective well-being.
**Action Required**
Individuals are inspired to adopt yoga as a lifestyle choice to achieve a more balanced and healthy life.
Key Entities Referenced
International Day of Yoga: A global initiative and the primary event celebrated to promote health, holistic well-being, and the practice of yoga.
Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports: The central ministry responsible for organizing the 2026 celebrations and promoting yoga among youth and athletes.
Sports Authority of India (SAI): The nodal organization that hosted the event and integrated yoga practices into its regional training frameworks.
Common Yoga Protocol (CYP): A standardized set of yoga postures, breathing exercises, and meditation practices followed during the session.
SAI Regional Centre Mumbai: The specific venue in Kandivali central to the 2026 celebrations involving athletes, coaches, and officials.
Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports
Raksha Khadse Participates in International Day
of Yoga 2026 Celebrations at SAI Regional
Centre Mumbai
Over 300 Athletes, Coaches and Yoga Enthusiasts Join
Celebrations Promoting Health and Holistic Well-being
प्रव तथ: 21 JUN 2026 4:46PM by PIB Mumbai
:Mumbai, June 21, 2026
Union Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports, Smt. Raksha Khadse,
participated in the International Day of Yoga 2026 celebrations organised at the
Sports Authority of India (SAI), Regional Centre Mumbai, Kandivali, today. More
than 300 athletes, coaches, officials, support staff and yoga enthusiasts took part in
the programme, reaffirming their commitment towards a healthier and more
balanced lifestyle.The event was organised in line with the vision of Prime Minister Shri Narendra
Modi, whose efforts have played a significant role in promoting yoga globally. The
celebrations commenced with the Common Yoga Protocol (CYP) session, during
which participants performed yoga postures, breathing exercises and meditation
practices under expert guidance.The programme was attended by Dr. Heena Gavit, Former Member of Lok Sabha,
and Dr. Pritam Gopinath Munde, Former Member of Lok Sabha. Shri Pandurang
Chate (IRS), Regional Director, SAI Regional Centre Mumbai, along with coaches,
officials and support staff, was also present on the occasion.
Special yoga demonstrations showcased the physical, mental and spiritual benefits
of yoga and highlighted its relevance across all age groups. The mass participation
reflected the spirit of unity, discipline and collective well-being that yoga promotes.
Addressing the gathering, Smt. Raksha Khadse emphasised the importance of yoga
in achieving physical fitness, mental resilience and emotional balance. She
appreciated the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi in transforming
yoga into a global movement and inspiring millions to adopt it as a way of life.She said that meditation is the key to inner peace and that yoga serves as an
effective pathway towards holistic well-being. Encouraging youth and athletes to
make yoga a part of their daily routine, she noted that yoga enhances
concentration, flexibility, recovery and mental preparedness, thereby
complementing sporting excellence.
The celebrations reinforced the commitment towards building a healthier and fitter
India through the practice of yoga.
***
PIB Mumbai | Robin Singh/Parshuram Kor
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