Kolkata, June 21: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday led the International Yoga Day celebrations at Kolkata’s iconic Red Road, marking the first time West Bengal hosted the flagship event under a BJP-led state government following the state's recent political transition.

The Prime Minister arrived at the venue around 6:30 a.m. and was welcomed by Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari and Governor R.N. Ravi amid elaborate security arrangements. Thousands of participants had gathered well before his arrival, with officials estimating that nearly 30,000 to 35,000 people attended the main event.

Several BJP legislators and senior leaders were also present. Modi had arrived in West Bengal a day earlier and stayed at Lok Bhavan before proceeding to the venue for the Yoga Day programme.

Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister said that International Yoga Day has evolved far beyond an annual observance and has become a worldwide movement promoting health, harmony, and human connection.

“This has become the biggest celebration of the world. The entire country is basking in the glory of Yoga. The world is getting connected to each other and this is the beauty of Yoga,” Modi said.

He expressed gratitude to people across the globe for embracing Yoga and participating in the celebrations.

The Prime Minister also thanked the people of Kolkata and praised the city’s cleanliness while highlighting Bengal’s rich spiritual and cultural legacy.

“On Yoga Diwas, to stay in Bengal is special. It is the land of Ramakrishna Paramhansa Dev; it is the land of Vivekananda who made the world aware of Yoga,” he remarked.

Drawing inspiration from Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore, Modi said Yoga embodies the spirit of unity and collective well-being.

“Rabindranath believed that the identity of people is not staying alone but the satisfaction comes from staying united, and that is the beauty of Yoga that connects people,” he said.

Focusing on this year’s theme, ‘Yoga and Healthy Ageing,’ the Prime Minister emphasized that ageing should be viewed as an opportunity rather than a limitation.

“We can stay healthy and active even at age. Aging is not a problem but it should be considered as an opportunity,” he said.

He stressed that Yoga is beneficial for people of all age groups and should not be confined to the elderly alone.

Highlighting the success of the government’s year-long Yoga outreach campaign, Modi noted that nearly 30 lakh people from 130 countries had participated in the ‘Yoga 365 Days’ initiative.

Beyond the main event at Red Road, Yoga sessions were organized across Kolkata, with authorities expecting participation from nearly 10 lakh people citywide. Students, women, senior citizens, and members of various social organizations joined the celebrations.

International Yoga Day was first observed in 2015 at Rajpath in New Delhi and has since been hosted in cities such as Chandigarh, Lucknow, Dehradun, Ranchi, Mysuru, Jabalpur, Srinagar, and Visakhapatnam. Kolkata now joins the list of host cities for the national event.

Over the past eleven years, International Yoga Day has expanded to more than 190 countries, reflecting Yoga’s growing global acceptance as a powerful tool for physical health, mental well-being, and holistic living.

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