‘Yoga is way of life’: PM Narendra Modi's Yoga Diplomacy in New York

FP Staff • June 21, 2023, 20:40:00 IST

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At the ninth International Yoga Day celebrations at the United Nations headquarters in New York, PM Narendra Modi hailed yoga as ‘truly universal’. This year’s event set a Guinness World Record for most nationalities – 135 – at a yoga session

‘Yoga is truly universal’, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi while marking the ninth International Day of Yoga today (21 June). The Indian premier, who is on his first official state visit to the United States, led the World Yoga Day celebrations at the United Nations headquarters in New York. Reuters

This year’s theme of Yoga Day is ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ (the world is one family). Highlighting that Yoga is a ‘way of life’, PM Modi said, “Yoga comes from India and it is a very old tradition. Yoga is free from copyrights, patents and free from royalty payments". PTI

PM Modi urged people to use the “power of yoga” to not only stay healthy but also “kind to ourselves and others”. “When we do yoga, we feel physically fit, mentally calm, and emotionally content. But it is not just about exercising on a mat. Yoga is a way of life, it is a holistic approach to health and well-being,”, he added. AP

The Yoga Day event was attended by UN General Assembly president Csaba Korosi, New York City Mayor Eric Adams and Amina J Mohammed, Deputy Secretary General of the UN. Annelies Richmond, a professional ballerina, conducted the special session of yoga at the UN headquarters. Image Courtesy: Twitter/@MEAIndia

From Pranayama to Kapalbhati, the attendees performed several yoga asanas. Ahead of the Yoga event, PM Modi also paid tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at the UN Headquarters lawns. Earlier today, the Indian prime minister said in a tweet: “May Yoga bring us all together”. Reuters

The 2023 World Yoga Day event created a Guinness World record for most nationalities – 135 – in a Yoga session. Hundreds of participants were present at today’s event, practising backbends, meditation, and a number of other poses at the UN headquarters’ north lawn. AP

The Yoga Day event also drew Hollywood actor Richard Gere who shared a hug with the Indian prime minister. Ahead of the yoga session, Gere told reporters at the UN headquarters: “The feeling here is so open and embracing, I hope this feeling intoxicates the entire building. It’s really nice feeling here today”. Reuters

“This International Yoga Day is a call for us to stand up for humankind across the globe and all living being. I am proud to be here and I am proud to represent this city symbolically. International Yoga Day is an international call that we will be a leader here in New York City as you are a leader in your own environments…," Eric Adams, New York City mayor, said addressing the Yoga Day event. Reuters

PM Modi has had a major contribution to ‘internationalising’ yoga. Nine years ago, PM Modi proposed the idea to celebrate 21 June as the International Day of Yoga every year. In December 2014, less than three months after the Indian leader’s suggestion, UN General Assembly passed a resolution on the same. PTI

PM Modi will now head to Washington DC for a three-day trip where he will take part in a state dinner at the White House and hold talks with US president Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris on the evening of 22 June. On the same day, he will also address the joint address to the US Congress. AP

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