International Day of Yoga is an occasion celebrated on June 21 to recognize the divine power of yoga that the world has witnessed over the years. Yoga is a healthy activity and a form of exercise done by millions of people daily. People use yoga for the divine connection of the mind and the body with the soul.

Yoga in India originated over 5,000 years ago. Thus, it is an ancient form of exercise and meditation that was practiced as a way to get closer to enlightenment. Later, with its gaining popularity yoga found its place as a form of exercise and relaxation. Celebration is done every year with great passion and zeal with the participation of thousands of people in India.
This practice was adopted by people since ancient times to connect the body with the mind and soul as well as for enlightenment. Later, with the popularity of yoga in the western countries, it was adopted by people as a way of relaxation and form of exercise that works towards the well-being of the body. The initiation of the International Day of Yoga was done by PM Narendra Modi in September 2014, at the United Nations General Assembly while giving his speech. Later the announcement of 21 June as International Yoga Day was done by passing a resolution, which was approved by 177 countries across the globe. This was the maximum number of countries to approve any UN resolution so far.
The reason for choosing June 21 as yoga day is that it is the day of Summer Solstice – a day with the longest period of daylight and when the Sun is at its highest position in the sky.
This will be the 9th Edition of the International Day of Yoga, which was first celebrated on 21 June 2015. On September 27, 2014, India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi had proposed the idea of International Yoga Day in the UN General Assembly while introducing a resolution to ascertain June 21 as the International Yoga Day. The proposal was appreciated and approved by 177 countries.
Theme of International Day of Yoga2023
The theme of International Day of Yoga, 2023 is ‘Yoga for Humanity’.
Along with being a significant form of exercise to stay active on a daily basis, yoga has given the world the spiritual expertise through meditation and various postures. Yoga has served as the best way to connect mind, body and soul for thousands of years.
The draft resolution establishing the International Day of Yoga was proposed by India and endorsed by a record 175 member states. The proposal was first introduced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his address during the opening of the 69th session of the General Assembly, in which he said: “Yoga is an invaluable gift from our ancient tradition. Yoga embodies unity of mind and body, thought and action … a holistic approach [that] is valuable to our health and our well-being. Yoga is not just about exercise; it is a way to discover the sense of oneness with yourself, the world and the nature.”
The resolution notes “the importance of individuals and populations making healthier choices and following lifestyle patterns that foster good health.” In this regard, the World Health Organization has also urged its member states to help their citizens reduce physical inactivity, which is among the top ten leading causes of death worldwide, and a key risk factor for non-communicable diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases, cancer and diabetes.
But yoga is more than a physical activity. In the words of one of its most famous practitioners, the late B. K. S. Iyengar, “Yoga cultivates the ways of maintaining a balanced attitude in day-to-day life and endows skill in the performance of one’s actions.”
PM to lead Yoga Day event at UN headquarters in New York
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lead the global community in celebrating the day at the UN headquarters in New York this year.
Csaba Korosi, president of the UN General Assembly, diplomatic representatives of almost the entire UN membership of over 190 countries, the mayor of New York, Eric Adams, US political leaders from the New York area, and top Indian-American diaspora figures in various domains will join Modi on the north lawns of the UN complex in New York on the morning of June 21, said a person familiar with the planning of the event.
177 countries had co-sponsored and supported the Yoga Day resolution at the UN in December 2014. The following year, the world saw the first celebrations. And now, the author of that idea will return to the UN to lead the celebrations and send a message. India’s permanent representative to the UN, Ruchira Kamboj, who has earlier served as the chief of protocol of the foreign ministry in New Delhi, India’s permanent representative to UNESCO in Paris, high commissioner to South Africa and ambassador to Bhutan, and her team at the permanent mission of India in New York, are reaching out to counterparts to firm up the details of the event. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres will, however, miss the event as he will be in Paris at the time to attend a conference on a new global financing pact.
India has not only booked all the open spaces within the UN complex and the riverside promenade overlooking the Hudson river, but also parts of Roosevelt City and Long Island city to make space for over 2,000 people who are expected to participate in the event. A live feed of the yoga celebrations will be broadcast at Times Square, a few blocks away.
The event will have a brief cultural component, with the UN choir performing. Modi and Korosi are expected to speak before the Indian Prime Minister leads the yoga event. “The event will be inclusive. It will be international. It will attempt to showcase what India has to offer to the world. It will bring together the world, north and south, east and west, parties in conflict with each other, to send a message of oneness,” said the person quoted above.
In the week leading up to the Yoga Day celebrations, the UN will also see a special yoga exhibition inside its premises by Isha Yoga, a non-profit.
UN Declaration
On 11 December 2014, India’s Permanent Representative Asoke Mukherji introduced the draft resolution in the United Nations General Assembly. The draft text received broad support from 177 Member States who sponsored the text, which was adopted without a vote. This initiative found support from many global leaders. A total of 177 nations co-sponsored the resolution, which is the highest number of co-sponsors ever for any UNGA resolution of such nature.
When proposing 21 June as the date, Modi said that the date was the longest day of the year in the northern hemisphere (shortest in the southern hemisphere), having special significance in many parts of the world. In Indian calendars, the summer solstice marks the transition to Dakshinayana. The second[9] full moon after summer solstice is known as Guru Poornima. In Hindu mythology, Shiva, the first yogi (Adi Yogi), is said to have begun imparting the knowledge of yoga to the rest of mankind on this day, and became the first guru (Adi Guru).
Following the adoption of the UN resolution, several leaders of the spiritual movement in India voiced their support for the initiative. The founder of Isha Foundation, Sadhguru, stated, “this could be a kind of a foundation stone to make scientific approach to the inner well-being of the human being, a worldwide thing… It’s a tremendous step for the world.” The founder of Art of Living, Ravi Shankar, lauded the efforts of Modi, saying, “It is very difficult for any philosophy, religion or culture to survive without state patronage. Yoga has existed so far almost like an orphan. Now, official recognition by the UN would further spread the benefit of yoga to the entire world.” The first International Day of Yoga was observed around the world on 21 June 2015. The Ministry of AYUSH made the necessary arrangements in India. 35,985 people, including PM Modi and dignitaries from 84 nations, performed 21 asanas (yoga postures) for 35 minutes at Rajpath in New Delhi, becoming the largest yoga class ever held, and with the largest number—84—of participating nations. Similar days have been held in cities in India and around the world each year since then.
An Associated Press report in 2015 noted that the first “International Yoga Day” involved “millions of yoga enthusiasts” who “stretched and twisted”, as well as Modi and members of his cabinet. It stated that the main road in Delhi had become an exercise area for the occasion, and reported that while Modi was speaking of “peace and harmony”, some people in India thought the promotion of yoga was a partisan Hindu operation. It reported that a sequence of Surya Namaskar (sun salutations) was dropped because Muslims objected to the implication that the sun was the Hindu god of the sun, Surya; the chanting of the Hindu sacred syllable “Om” was also dropped. Others considered that the money spent on the event might have been better spent on cleaning Delhi’s streets.
The Christian Science Monitor wrote in 2016 that the 2014 United Nations resolution had been “wildly popular” but noted that yoga had a “meditative component” and had become known as not only a form of physical exercise but also a mental and spiritual practice. It gave as evidence the 2015 sermon by Pope Francis cautioning Roman Catholics about the idea that yoga could be a path to God; it noted, too, that Modi had replied to the charge that the Day was intended to promote Hinduism with the words “Yoga is not about the other life. Therefore, it is not a religious practice”.
The Week stated in 2015 that the government of India’s purpose in holding International Days of Yoga was to have yoga recognized around the world as “India’s cultural property”,[24] citing India’s minister of yoga, Shripad Yesso Naik as stating “We’re trying to establish to the world that it’s ours.”[24] The Week wrote that this was not likely to succeed, not least because many types of yoga were already being practised in the Western world. The article noted that Christian evangelicals agreed with the Indian government that yoga was “primarily a Hindu spiritual practice”, but quoted the scholar of religion Ann Gleig as saying that most Western yoga was markedly changed by being in the West, and was devoid of religious content; the “ironically” agreeing views of strongly religious Hindus and Christians were “historically flawed”.
Events to mark IDY- 2023
Following are some flagship initiatives were taken up by the Ministry of Ayush (MoA), to maximize participation in the 9th International Day of Yoga (IDY- 2023).
100 Days, 100 Cities, and 100 Organization
Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga under the Ministry of Ayush is organising a campaign of 100 days, 100 cities, and 100 organizations from 13th March 2023 to 21st June 2023 across the globe regarding the celebration of 9th IDY-2023. The campaign aimed to promote and disseminate knowledge and practice of Yoga among the people, at the national level, for the improvement of their health and well-being.
Ocean Ring of Yoga
IDY-2023 will witness an innovative program ‘Ocean Ring of Yoga’ on June 21st when with the help of the Ministry of Defense, Ministry of External Affairs and the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Yoga demonstrations at many ports, on many ships will take place and many friendly countries will also join hands in this exercise.
Aligned with the theme of ‘Yoga for Vasudhaiva Kutumbkam’ for this year, the Ocean Ring of Yoga program aims to showcase the transformative power of yoga in fostering global unity and harmonious coexistence.
Arctic to Antarctica
Yoga demonstrations will be conducted across a vast geographical range, spanning from the Arctic to Antarctica. Countries located along or in close proximity to the Prime Meridian will actively participate in these demonstrations. Furthermore, the flight decks of INS Vikrant and INS Vikramaditya will serve as impressive platforms for showcasing yoga demonstrations in perfect harmony.
Yoga sessions will also take place in the pristine regions of the North and South Poles. Yoga sessions will also be held at the Indian Research Base in Svalbard, Arctic as well as Bharati — the third Indian Research Base in Antarctica. These unique and remote locations will serve as serene settings for engaging in yoga practices, further exemplifying the universal reach and adaptability of this ancient discipline.
Yog Bharatmala
As part of this initiative, the Indian Army, Indian Air Force, Indian Coast Guard, and Border Road Organisation will organize yoga demonstrations at the borders, coasts, and islands, collectively forming a Yog Bharatmala. This concerted effort aims to showcase the unifying power of yoga in diverse geographical locations and foster a sense of well-being and harmony among the personnel and communities stationed in these strategic areas.
Yog Bharatmala seeks to promote the practice of yoga as an integral aspect of the nation’s cultural fabric and enhance the overall physical and mental well-being of those serving in these crucial roles.
Har Aangan Yog
At the grassroots level, the participation of Panchayats, Anganwadis, Asha/ANM workers, and local communities will be integral to the Yoga demonstrations. These essential pillars of community outreach will actively engage in showcasing yoga at various levels. Furthermore, the Health and Wellness Centers established by both the Health and Ayush Ministries, which are abundant across the country with a count exceeding 150,000, as well as the numerous Amrit Sarovars (approximately 50,000) will host Yoga demonstrations. This year, we can anticipate the immersive experience of ‘Har Aangan Yog,’ which will embody the true essence and spirit of this holistic practice.