New Delhi, 14 June (H.S.): A global online yoga session created a new milestone on Sunday ahead of the International Day of Yoga, with more than 435,831 participants joining the virtual event simultaneously from India and across the world. The figure marked a significant increase from last year's participation of 246,452 people.

Speaking to the media on the occasion, Union Minister of Ayush Prataprao Jadhav said that yoga is not merely a one-day event but a way of life that promotes healthy and positive living.

He particularly encouraged young people to adopt yoga as an integral part of their daily routine and inspire their families, friends and communities to embrace the practice as well.

Jadhav said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, yoga has evolved into a global mass movement. He noted that the participation of lakhs of people through the YouTube live stream demonstrated India's collective commitment to yoga and represented a significant step toward achieving a Guinness World Record.

The minister said the Prime Minister's call for “Yoga 365” encourages people to make yoga a part of their lives throughout the year rather than limiting the practice to June 21. He described yoga as more than a physical exercise, calling it a powerful commitment towards building a healthy, strong and developed India.

Ayush Secretary Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lead the main International Day of Yoga event in Kolkata on June 21. He appealed to people in India and around the world to participate virtually if they are unable to attend in person and perform yoga alongside the Prime Minister.

Kotecha also encouraged participants to share selfies of their yoga practice on social media using the hashtag #HarGharYoga and tag the Ministry of Ayush.

To expand the campaign's reach and make yoga more accessible, the Ministry of Ayush has been conducting free online live yoga sessions for 100 consecutive days through its official YouTube channel.

The live session, conducted under the guidance of the founder of Habuild, witnessed enthusiastic participation from yoga practitioners across India and several other countries. The unprecedented turnout highlighted India's growing influence in promoting yoga globally and showcased the country's collective yoga movement on the world stage.

The record participation is being viewed as a major achievement in the run-up to International Day of Yoga 2026 and reflects the continuing global appeal of yoga as a tool for physical, mental and emotional well-being.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar