PM Modi Leads 11th International Yoga Day, Calls Yoga the ‘Pause Button Humanity Needs

Published: June 21, 2025 | Visakhapatnam, India

Prime Minister Narendra Modi marked the 11th International Day of Yoga by leading a mass yoga session in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, calling yoga “the pause button that humanity needs” amid a turbulent global landscape. Addressing thousands gathered along the coastal city’s shoreline at dawn, Modi framed yoga not merely as a wellness routine but as a profound civilizational offering that provides direction toward peace, harmony, and collective human purpose. With global instability, environmental stress, and social fragmentation dominating headlines, Modi reiterated yoga’s role in transcending boundaries and fostering unity.

A Call for Inner Stillness in a Restless World

Standing barefoot on a sprawling yoga mat beside Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and Deputy CM Pawan Kalyan, Prime Minister Modi reflected on the world’s increasingly “tense, unstable, and restless” state. He emphasized how yoga—rooted in ancient Indian philosophy—offers humanity the tools to regain balance. “In an age of distraction, yoga teaches presence. In a climate of conflict, yoga gives us peace,” he declared. His choice of Visakhapatnam as the venue, a city known for its dual identity as a naval hub and coastal sanctuary, subtly echoed his message of internal strength and external serenity.

Highlights

• PM Modi described yoga as a ‘pause button’ amid global tension

• Event hosted in Visakhapatnam with mass participation

• Yoga framed as a timeless tool for global stability and peace

• Leaders from Andhra Pradesh joined in solidarity

Also Read : Dalal Street Braces for IPO Frenzy as 12 Issues Worth ₹15,800 Crore Launch Next Week

“Yoga for One Earth, One Health”: Theme Echoes Planetary Interconnectedness

This year’s International Day of Yoga carried the theme “Yoga for One Earth, One Health,” aligning wellness with environmental stewardship. Modi emphasized that the health of human beings is inseparable from the health of the ecosystems they inhabit. “Our well-being is tied to the soil beneath us, the rivers that nourish us, and the animals and plants that complete our ecosystem,” he said, urging citizens and policymakers alike to adopt holistic practices that recognize these linkages. His speech positioned yoga not just as a personal exercise but as a planetary imperative—one capable of transforming ecological consciousness.

Highlights

• 2025 Yoga Day theme emphasizes human-nature interdependence

• Modi highlighted soil, water, flora, and fauna as health determinants

• Yoga presented as both personal and planetary practice

• Global ecological awareness integrated into wellness narrative

Yoga’s Global March: From Himalayan Peaks to Sydney’s Shores

Highlighting the international footprint of yoga over the past decade, Modi underscored the practice’s widespread adoption across continents and contexts. He recounted how astronauts engage in yoga aboard spacecraft, Indian Navy sailors perform asanas on decks at sea, and visually impaired students read Yoga Shastra in Braille. “From the Sydney Opera House to Himalayan monasteries, yoga is practiced in places once unimaginable,” Modi said with visible pride. The global scope, he added, demonstrates yoga’s unique ability to transcend physical, cultural, and linguistic barriers—making it one of the few unifying rituals in an otherwise fractured world.

Highlights

• PM cited diverse yoga settings—from space to seashores

• Yoga practiced at Sydney Opera House, naval vessels, and mountain peaks

• Braille Yoga Shastras empower the visually impaired

• Yoga’s reach seen as a symbol of global cultural harmony

“From Me to We”: Modi Proposes ‘Yoga for Humanity 2.0’

In a philosophical turn, PM Modi urged the world to embrace a new global movement: “Yoga for Humanity 2.0.” He described yoga as a spiritual migration from “me to we,” a shift from individual ego to collective consciousness. By placing inner peace at the center of civic and public life, Modi argued that societies could overcome the psychological fragmentation that underpins many of today’s social and political tensions. The Prime Minister appealed to global leaders to integrate yoga-inspired mindfulness and inclusivity into public policy, education, and diplomacy. “Let yoga be not just a morning routine, but a framework for public values,” he said.

Highlights

• Modi introduced ‘Yoga for Humanity 2.0’ movement

• Calls for integrating yoga into civic and global governance

• Yoga framed as a shift from ego to collective harmony

• Proposal aims to align mindfulness with policy and diplomacy

A Decade of Yoga Day: From UN Adoption to Global Ritual

Recalling the moment India’s proposal to designate June 21 as International Yoga Day was adopted by the United Nations in 2014, PM Modi noted the overwhelming support from 175 countries, an unprecedented moment of global alignment. “Such unity is rare in global politics—it speaks to yoga’s universal truth,” he said. Since then, Yoga Day has evolved into a worldwide observance, with millions across continents taking part. Schools, armed forces, corporations, and community groups now integrate yoga into their annual rhythms, transforming it into a global civic ritual. The Prime Minister’s remarks reflected not just celebration, but strategic vision for yoga’s soft power potential.

Highlights

• UN adoption of Yoga Day in 2014 backed by 175 countries

• Yoga Day now celebrated globally across institutions

• Modi framed the observance as global civic ritual

• Highlights India’s diplomatic soft power through yoga

Unity Through Breath: A Morning of Global Synchrony

As the sun rose over Visakhapatnam’s shoreline, thousands performed pranayama and asanas in synchrony with yoga practitioners around the globe. Modi noted how communities in dozens of time zones—from Pacific islands to African townships—had aligned their schedules with the event. “Today, the world breathes together,” he said, describing it as a rare act of collective presence. With live feeds showing yoga being performed at global landmarks, the event served not only as a spiritual gathering but a showcase of India’s cultural leadership. Modi’s greetings to citizens around the world reinforced the symbolic unity of breath as a gesture of planetary solidarity.

Highlights

• Global communities aligned yoga routines with India’s observance

• Thousands joined Modi in live session by Visakhapatnam’s coast

• Modi described the global event as ‘world breathing together’

• Yoga Day positioned as symbol of unity across borders