Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Sunday (today), will lead the nation from observing and celebrating the 12th International Day of Yoga from Kolkata's Red Road. Modi will address a gathering at the Red Road while participating in the common yoga protocol session with thousands of yoga practitioners during the morning programme, it said. This year's theme for the International Day of Yoga is "Yoga for Healthy Ageing", highlighting its role in promoting physical health, mental well-being, emotional resilience and active ageing, contributing to an improved quality of life. "The theme is particularly relevant in an era of increasing life expectancy and growing emphasis on healthy, active and dignified ageing," the statement said.The national yoga day celebration
at Red Road will begin at 5 am, where around 35,000 participants are expected to join the celebrations, with Modi leading the Common Yoga Protocol (CYP), marking another milestone in India's efforts to promote yoga as a global movement for health and well-being.Earlier on Saturday, addressing a programme to mark the 'Paschimbanga Divas' of West Bengal Day at Tarakeswar on Saturday, the PM urged the people across the state to organise Yoga Day events and participate actively. Stating that he will participate in Yoga Day this time, Modi said, "I want Yoga Day celebrations to be organised across Bengal, in every corner."
Yoga Day Celebrations at 2,500 Locations Abroad
The 12th edition of the International Day of Yoga (IDY) will be celebrated across India and across the world under the theme "Yoga for Healthy Ageing", with nearly 10 lakh people expected to participate in synchronised yoga sessions across Kolkata alone.Apart from Kolkata, more than 210 Indian Missions abroad will organise Yoga Day celebrations at nearly 2,500 locations worldwide on June 21 while PM Modi will lead the national event from Kolkata's iconic Red Road.According to the Ministry of Ayush, the event will reaffirm yoga's growing role as a global movement promoting health, harmony and collective well-being.Since its inception in 2015, when the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) adopted India's proposal to observe June 21 as the International Day of Yoga, the PM has led the celebrations from various locations including New Delhi, Chandigarh, Lucknow, Mysuru, New York, Srinagar and Vishakhapatnam, it said.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C7o0gWZEmws
Riverfronts, Howrah Bridge Light Up On International Yoga Day
Ahead of the celebrations, Kolkata's riverfronts and the iconic Howrah Bridge were lit up in elaborate illumination, laser displays and a spectacular drone show on Saturday, as the city dressed up for the 12th International Day of Yoga. The riverfront carnival also marked the celebration of the Paschimbanga Divas, West Bengal Day. Princep Ghat, with its superb colonial-era architecture, and the modern Millennium Park along the Hooghly river saw extensive decoration for the celebrations, officials said.The highlight of the carnival featured a show after 9 pm involving around 3,000 drones that illuminated the night sky with visuals depicting the story of yoga, its global popularity under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, and various yoga postures.The aerial display also showcased prominent Bengal icons and cultural motifs, drawing large crowds along the riverfront.
PM Modi To Commission Three Indigenously Built Naval Ships
In a programme later in the morning at the Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port, the PM will commission three indigenously designed and built naval ships - advanced stealth frigate INS Dunagiri, survey vessel (large) INS Sanshodhak and anti-submarine warfare shallow water craft INS Agray.These inductions into the Indian Navy will significantly bolster the nation's maritime prowess and strengthen the security of the country's coastal waters against geopolitical threats.All three ships were designed by the Indian Navy's Warship Design Bureau and constructed by Kolkata-based Defence PSU Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) Ltd, with extensive participation from Indian industry, including more than 200 MSMEs, the statement added.