Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday led the country in celebrating the 12th International Day of Yoga from Red Road in Kolkata, calling the annual event the “world’s biggest festival” and saying yoga has become a global movement that connects people across borders.
Thousands joined the Prime Minister in performing yoga asanas during the early morning Common Yoga Protocol session at the iconic venue.
PM Modi Leads Yoga Session at Kolkata’s Red Road
The large-scale Yoga Day event took place at Red Road in central Kolkata, with participants gathering in the open grounds near the city’s Maidan and the Indian Army’s Eastern Command headquarters.
PM Modi was seen performing yoga alongside the crowd and even personally guiding some participants to correct their postures during the session.
An exceptional Yoga Day programme was held at Kolkata’s Red Road this morning, in which people from all walks of life participated, giving an important message on the vitality of Yoga in everyone’s lives.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 21, 2026
This time, the theme was ‘Yoga For Healthy Ageing’ which emphasised the… pic.twitter.com/XHd4pyK46f
Addressing the gathering, Modi said, “June 21, which is the longest day on Earth in many parts of the world, has now become the day of the world’s largest collective celebration because of yoga.”
He added, “Yoga unites us. I congratulate the people of the world on this occasion.”
‘Yoga Is More Than Physical Exercise’
Speaking about this year’s theme, Yoga for Healthy Ageing, the Prime Minister said yoga plays an important role in physical health, mental well-being and emotional balance.
“Yoga is not just physical exercise. It is not restricted to any age group. It is an expression of the human spirit,” he said.
Highlighting its benefits for ageing, Modi said yoga can help people remain healthier and more energetic as they grow older.
“Our target should be to be more flexible at 40 than we were at 20, more energetic at 50 than we were at 30, and more resistant to diseases at 70 than we were at 50,” he said.
PM Calls for Making Yoga a Daily Habit
The Prime Minister urged people not to limit yoga to a single-day celebration.
“Let us not make yoga just a one-day event. It should become part of our daily life, our family and future generations,” he said.
He also spoke about the “Yoga 365” initiative, a 100-day online programme aimed at encouraging regular yoga practice worldwide.
According to Modi, people from over 130 countries have already joined the programme.
Yoga Celebrations Held in 2,500 Locations Worldwide
This year’s International Day of Yoga is being observed at nearly 2,500 locations across the world, with participation from more than 210 Indian missions and diplomatic posts.
Officials said the scale of global participation reflects yoga’s growing role as a movement for health, peace and harmony.
Modi said visuals from different countries show how deeply yoga has connected people worldwide.
“Yoga Day has become the world’s biggest festival. Visuals are coming from every part of the world,” he said.
Bengal Hosts Large-Scale Yoga Day Event for First Time
This is the first time International Yoga Day has been celebrated on such a large scale in West Bengal.
The Prime Minister also praised Kolkata’s “Swachhta se Swagat” initiative and said it should inspire other cities.
“It is a special occasion for me to celebrate Yoga Day in Bengal, the land of Swami Vivekananda, Rabindranath Tagore and Sri Aurobindo,” Modi said.
After the Yoga Day event, the Prime Minister was scheduled to visit Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port to commission three indigenously built naval ships, continuing his day-long visit in the state.
