India is set to commemorate the 10th International Day of Yoga (IDY) with an unprecedented global outreach, organising themed yoga events and programmes across 1,300 cities in 191 countries on Saturday, June 21. The initiative aims to promote the ancient Indian practice as a symbol of global wellness and soft power.
According to the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), the cultural arm of the Ministry of External Affairs, the global celebration includes over 2,000 yoga events. The ICCR has also announced the return of “Yoga Bandhan,” a flagship event where 17 renowned yoga gurus and practitioners from 15 countries—including Brazil, Russia, China, South Africa, Malaysia, and Argentina—will lead Yoga Day sessions across India.
In India, the national capital will host yoga demonstrations by international yoga practitioners at iconic locations such as Jantar Mantar, Qutub Minar, Humayun’s Tomb, and Purana Quila. Other cities such as Varanasi, Ayodhya, Lucknow, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Bhopal, and Gwalior will also hold similar high-profile events.
“This year, we are practically covering every country in the world. In the United States alone, multiple events are scheduled across cities,” said ICCR Director General K. Nandini Singla. “Yoga has truly come full circle—it travelled from India to the world, and now international yoga experts are coming back to India to guide yoga sessions for Indians.”
In a notable development, the Indian High Commission in Islamabad, Pakistan, is also hosting a yoga event to mark the day—an indication of yoga’s diplomatic and cultural resonance.
The 2025 theme, ‘Yoga for One Earth, One Health’, reflects the holistic vision of interconnected well-being and sustainability, in line with India’s G20 motto: ‘One Earth, One Family, One Future’.
Preparations for this year’s global celebration began months in advance, with countdown events marking 100, 75, 50, and 25 days to IDY. Over the past 100 days, India’s embassies, consulates, and 37 cultural centres around the world have organised special yoga sessions and awareness drives.
Singla noted a growing interest in yoga across the globe, with participation from public figures such as members of parliament, law enforcement officers, and judges. “Yoga has become a vital part of many lives globally. It’s not just a practice now, it’s a global movement,” she added.
With its roots deeply embedded in Indian tradition, yoga continues to evolve as a universal means of fostering health, peace, and harmony—now more relevant than ever in a rapidly changing world.