After PM's call, panchayats mobilising villagers for transforming Yoga Day into 'jan-andolan': Ayush ministry

New Delhi, Jun 18 (PTI) Panchayats across the country are organising special yoga sessions, community outreach activities and common yoga protocol demonstrations at schools, anganwadis and public spaces to transform the International Yoga Day into a 'jan-andolan' at the village level, the Ayush ministry said Wednesday.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, through a letter, recently had urged gram pradhans to lead from the front in making yoga a part of community life and also to encourage and inspire people in their areas to participate in the International Day of Yoga on June 21.

Union Minister of State for Ayush and also Health and Family Welfare Prataprao Jadhav appreciated the efforts of gram panchayats across the country and said, "The overwhelming response from gram panchayats is a testament to the inspiring leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. His heartfelt call has transformed the International Day of Yoga into a true jan-andolan, with villages across India embracing yoga as a way of life." "These grassroots efforts reflect the deep cultural connection and growing public commitment to holistic health through yoga," he added.

"The letter felt like a personal message from the prime minister, and it truly motivated our entire village to embrace yoga," sarpanch of Pariyari village in Uttar Pradesh's Jaunpur, Om Prakash Yadav, said.

Following the call, the village began organising weekly yoga sessions at the Panchayat Bhavan and introduced yoga competitions for school children to enhance their confidence and discipline.

A special 'yoga yatra' was also carried out, with participation from all sections of the village, creating widespread awareness and a strong sense of unity through yoga, the ministry statement said.

"The prime minister's historic initiative has truly transformed yoga into a mass movement, reaching every village across the nation," Sunil Kumar, gram pradhan of Bandakpur village in Madhya Pradesh's Damoh, said.

Sharing his village's preparations, he added, "We are ensuring maximum community participation in our panchayat area, and will be organising a special yoga session under the common yoga protocol on the occasion of IDY 2025. Our villagers are eagerly looking forward to participating in this collective practice." Pawani Mishra, sarpanch of Khera Kursi in Kanpur Dehat said the letter has "motivated us not only to practise yoga but to adopt it as a way of life".

In preparation for IDY 2025, the panchayat has launched special yoga programmes tailored to all age groups. Despite being a hilly area, local youths have come together to develop an open-air yoga site, where regular morning sessions are now held.

Women's groups have also initiated awareness drives under the theme 'Health is Wealth', hosting discussions on yoga and nutrition.

Highlighting the significance of the upcoming edition of IDY, Modi had noted that it is not just a global observance but also marks the completion of a meaningful decade-long journey of yoga's resurgence on the global stage.

Modi described yoga as an "inseparable part of our cultural heritage" that balances body and mind and guides individuals toward a holistic and peaceful life. PTI PLB ZMN