PM Modi to Lead Record-Breaking Yoga Day Event in Visakhapatnam
| 2025-06-21
Representational image
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will mark International Yoga Day in Visakhapatnam, leading a record-setting session with over five lakh participants.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will participate in one of the world’s largest yoga gatherings on Saturday in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, as part of the 11th International Yoga Day celebrations. The high-profile event, expected to draw over 500,000 participants, is being coordinated with large-scale preparations by the state government to showcase India's soft power on a global stage.
Stretching along a 26-kilometre corridor from Ramakrishna Beach to Bhogapuram, the early morning gathering aims to set several world records, including recognition by Guinness World Records, according to officials.
Mass Participation and Monumental Scale
Organisers say 326 yoga zones have been established along the event route, each accommodating around 1,000 participants. An estimated 3,000 buses will be used to transport attendees from across the state. The event, scheduled from 6 to 8 am, is expected to be among the largest mass yoga sessions ever held.
Authorities have deployed more than 10,000 police personnel to maintain security. Surveillance will be enhanced with 1,200 CCTV cameras and drones, coordinated via a dedicated command centre. Additional restrictions, including a temporary ban on drones, have been placed across sensitive zones in the city.
Visakhapatnam Police Commissioner Sanka Batra Bagchi confirmed that traffic curbs would be in effect along key routes from June 20 to June 21. “There are traffic restrictions in Visakhapatnam from today till the evening of the 21st,” Bagchi said, advising residents to take alternate routes around the Beach Road area.
A Showcase of National Commitment
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu described the event as a strategic opportunity to project yoga as an integral part of daily life. He said the state government intends to make yoga a regular feature in school curricula from Class 9 onwards and is considering the establishment of a university focused on the discipline.
Mr Naidu has proposed a formal declaration on Yoga Day to institutionalise public engagement and support for yoga as a wellness practice.
The event’s reach extends far beyond Visakhapatnam. Officials say celebrations will take place across 800,000 locations in India and overseas, with over 23.9 million people registered—well above the initial goal of 20 million.
One of the signature performances will be held at Andhra University, where 25,000 tribal students are scheduled to perform the Surya Namaskar sequence for 108 continuous minutes in a coordinated effort to set global records for mass participation.
‘Yogandhra’ Campaign and Community Engagement
The state has been preparing for the event for several months through a campaign titled ‘Yogandhra’, aimed at building public enthusiasm. More than 15,000 yoga competitions were held at various administrative levels across the state, promoting community-level awareness.
To support participation, the government will distribute over 3.3 lakh t-shirts and five lakh yoga mats. In Visakhapatnam alone, backup arrangements for 30,000 participants have been established in case of weather-related disruptions or overcrowding. Statewide, 1.3 lakh yoga venues have been identified.
Logistics and Security Measures
In addition to traffic diversions, several movement restrictions are in place for heavy vehicles entering the city from nearby districts. Drones are prohibited within a five-kilometre radius of key installations, including INS Chola, INS Kalinga, the Andhra University grounds, and Kali Mata temple, from June 20 to 21.
Personnel from law enforcement, emergency services, and local volunteers are working around the clock to ensure the smooth execution of the event, which combines ceremonial grandeur with a message of wellness and environmental harmony.
Theme and Global Resonance
The 11th International Yoga Day, celebrated globally, carries the theme “Yoga for One Earth, One Health”, reinforcing the practice’s role in unifying physical, mental, and environmental wellbeing.
Prime Minister Modi, who first proposed the idea of International Yoga Day at the United Nations in 2014, has continued to use the occasion to highlight India’s cultural influence and to promote yoga as a tool for both personal and collective balance.
As Visakhapatnam prepares to host a landmark celebration, the event is expected not only to mark a global record but to strengthen India's ongoing campaign to make yoga a universal practice for wellness and peace.
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