Prime Minister Narendra Modi delivered the keynote address at the 12th International Day of Yoga celebrations in Kolkata, West Bengal. The event, part of the 'Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav' initiative, was organized by the Prime Minister's Office and posted by PIB Delhi on June 21, 2026. The PM extended Yoga Day greetings to the global community and specifically praised the citizens of Kolkata for their 'Swachhata se Swagat' (Welcome with Cleanliness) initiative, calling it a great inspiration for all citizens.
The speech highlighted the spiritual significance of West Bengal, noting it as the land of saints like Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, Swami Vivekananda, who introduced yoga to the world, Maharishi Aravind, and Lahiri Mahashay. This year's theme was 'Yoga for Healthy Ageing', which was presented as a goal for people of all ages to be more flexible at 40 than at 20, more energetic at 50 than at 30, and more resistant to lifestyle diseases at 70 than at 50. The PM explained that yoga helps tune the body to be flexible, maintains high energy levels, fosters a calm and stress-free life, and teaches individuals to be lifelong learners of their own bodies and minds.
Citing a verse from the Gita, the address emphasized that yoga is founded on balance—balanced diet, balanced actions and work, and balanced sleep and wakefulness—and that it teaches the art of living a balanced life and understanding the 'do’s and don’ts'. The PM stated that yoga is not just a focus on physical health but shows the path from mental health to physical health and can open the path to world peace, making it a necessity for a better future of the world.
A major initiative highlighted was 'Yoga 365', which involved a 100-day online yoga program that saw unprecedented public participation with over 3 million people from 130 countries taking part. The PM concluded with a call to make yoga a part of daily life, family, and future generations, and with the wish 'Sarvé bhavantu sukhinaḥ, sarvé santu nirāmayāḥ' (May all be happy, may all be free from illness).