The Ministry of Ayush hosted the curtain raiser event for the 12th International Day of Yoga (IDY) 2026 at the National Media Centre in New Delhi on June 15, 2026. The event formally commenced nationwide and global celebrations leading up to the main event on June 21, 2026, which will be led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Kolkata's historic Red Road in West Bengal.
The theme for IDY 2026 is 'Yoga for Healthy Ageing' (स्वस्थ आयु के लिए योग), addressing the global challenge of ensuring healthy, active, and meaningful later years through yoga's holistic approach to physical and mental well-being. Union Minister Shri Prataprao Jadhav emphasized that yoga has transformed from an Indian tradition into a global movement for health and wellness since its UN adoption in 2014 under PM Modi's leadership.
A significant milestone was achieved with over 4 lakh participants joining a nationwide live yoga session on June 14, 2026, creating a new Guinness World Record. The global outreach includes coordination with the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), with 210 Indian Missions organizing events at approximately 2,500 locations worldwide.
The Ministry of Culture will organize special yoga events at 100 iconic locations across India, blending cultural heritage with yoga traditions. Additional initiatives include the 'Gangotri to Gangasagar: Ganga Tat Yoga Yatra' (June 13-20) covering multiple locations, and Kolkata-specific programs including 'Doud se Dhyan' on June 19 and 'Vande Yogam' with West Bengal Day observances on June 20.
Countdown events were successfully held over previous months, including the 100-day countdown in New Delhi, 75-day event at Lonar (Maharashtra), 50-day program at Kanha Shanti Vanam (Hyderabad), and 25-day celebration at Khajuraho.