International Yoga Day 2025: why it is celebrated on June 21, theme, history, and significance
Yoga is much more than just a form of exercise; it is a timeless practice with its roots deeply embedded in India's age-old spiritual and cultural heritage. Originating thousands of years ago, yoga was developed as a way to unite the mind, body, and spirit, helping people achieve harmony within themselves and with the world around them.
Its teachings are based on ancient Indian philosophies that stress the importance of balance, mindfulness, and inner peace. Over the centuries, yoga has traveled beyond India's borders, inspiring people worldwide to adopt its holistic benefits.
Recognising yoga's profound impact on health and well-being, the United Nations officially declared June 21 as
International Yoga Day
, which has now become a global celebration. Each year, millions around the world pause to acknowledge the physical, mental, and spiritual benefits that yoga offers.
This day is more than just a chance to stretch or meditate; instead, it is a day to reflect and appreciate how yoga connects us to ourselves, to each other, and to the planet. People from different countries and cultures join in this experience, which is a clear example of how ancient wisdom can unite modern lives in a simple way.
On the occasion of International Yoga Day, let's know more about the theme for this year and the history behind the day.
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
Perdagangkan CFD Emas dengan Broker Tepercaya
IC Markets
Mendaftar
Undo
International Yoga Day 2025 theme: 'Yoga for One Earth, One Health'
The theme for Yoga Day 2025 is 'Yoga for One Earth, One Health,' which tells how yoga supports not just individual well-being but also the health of our planet. This theme reminds us that personal health and environmental health are deeply connected. Taking care of our bodies through yoga goes hand in hand with caring for the Earth we all share. This year also marks the 11th anniversary of International Yoga Day, and the celebrations will be bigger than ever, with a series of signature events across India.
Among the 10 key events, the highlight will be '
Yoga Sangam
', which is a huge gathering with yoga celebrations happening at approximately 1,00,000 locations across the country. Other important events include Yoga Bandhan, Yoga Park, Yoga Samavesh, Yoga Prabhava, Yoga Connect, Harit Yoga, Yoga Unplugged, Yoga Mahakumbh, and Samyoga. Each of these events are a unique and special way for people to experience and celebrate yoga.
Why is International Yoga Day celebrated on June 21?
June 21 was chosen because it marks the summer solstice, the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere, which is traditionally associated with spiritual significance in many cultures, including India. The United Nations General Assembly officially declared June 21 as International Yoga Day in 2014 after a proposal by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
During the UN
session
, PM Modi described yoga as 'an invaluable gift from our ancient tradition.
Yoga embodies unity of mind and body, thought and action … a holistic approach [that] is valuable to our health and our well-being. Yoga is not just about exercise; it is a way to discover the sense of oneness with yourself, the world and nature,' according to the official records of the UN General Assembly.
The historic first International Yoga Day in 2015
The inaugural International Yoga Day in 2015 was celebrated with great enthusiasm, particularly in New Delhi. The event set two Guinness World Records, one for the largest yoga session with 35,985 participants and another for the most nationalities (84) represented in a single session.
This global participation showed how yoga is not just limited to India but goes across borders and brings people together in a shared pursuit of health and harmony.
How is Yoga Day internationally significant?
International Yoga Day is more than just a date on the calendar. It has now become a worldwide movement to raise awareness about the benefits of yoga for the mind, body, and spirit. Yoga helps to build a balanced approach to health, focusing not just on physical fitness but also on mental clarity and emotional calm. Practicing yoga can help reduce stress, improve flexibility, and boost overall well-being.
Yoga teaches mindfulness and respect, not only for ourselves but also for the environment that supports us.
One step to a healthier you—join Times Health+ Yoga and feel the change
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Mint
25 minutes ago
- Mint
STAY FIT AT WORK
Long hours at a desk can lead to stress, stiffness, and mental fatigue. This International Yoga Day 2025, incorporate a few simple yoga poses into your workday, which can help you reset, re-energise, and stay focused. Credit : PEXELS
Time of India
32 minutes ago
- Time of India
Scientists have found a breakthrough in cancer treatment, and it is deep within the ocean
A team of scientists led by the University of Mississippi has discovered a rare sugar in sea cucumbers that may help stop cancer from spreading, without the dangerous side effects of traditional treatments. What does the discovery say? The study published in the journal Glycobiology reveals that a compound called fucosylated chondroitin sulfate, found in the sea cucumber Holothuria floridana, blocks Sulf-2, an enzyme that cancer cells use to grow and metastasize. The compound could become a critical tool in future cancer therapies. Play Video Pause Skip Backward Skip Forward Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration 0:00 Loaded : 0% 0:00 Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 1x Playback Rate Chapters Chapters Descriptions descriptions off , selected Captions captions settings , opens captions settings dialog captions off , selected Audio Track default , selected Picture-in-Picture Fullscreen This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Text Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Caption Area Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Drop shadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Play War Thunder now for free War Thunder Play Now Undo 'Marine life produces compounds with unique structures that are often rare or not found in terrestrial vertebrates,' said Marwa Farrag, a fourth-year doctoral student and lead author of the study. 'The sugar compounds in sea cucumbers are unique. They aren't commonly seen in other organisms. That's why they're worth studying.' Sulf-2 plays a key role in altering glycans, sugar molecules that coat the surface of all human cells and regulate communication and immune responses. When this enzyme modifies glycans, it helps cancer cells break away and spread. Blocking Sulf-2 may stop tumors from invading healthy tissues. Live Events 'This sugar essentially stops the pruning of the cellular 'forest,'' said Dr. Vitor Pomin, associate professor of pharmacognosy. 'If we can inhibit that enzyme, we are fighting against the spread of cancer.' The research team, which also included scientists from Georgetown University, used lab testing and computer modeling to confirm the sugar's effect. Both methods produced consistent results. Safe for human use Unlike some Sulf-2 inhibitors already known, this sea cucumber sugar does not affect blood clotting, making it safer for use in humans. 'If a molecule interferes with blood coagulation, you risk life-threatening bleeding,' said Dr. Joshua Sharp, associate professor of pharmacology. 'This one doesn't.' Lack of abundance The team now faces a new challenge: sea cucumbers aren't abundant enough to harvest for mass production. 'One of the problems in developing this as a drug would be the low yield,' said Dr. Pomin. 'So, we have to develop a chemical route.' The scientists are currently working to synthesize the compound in the lab so it can be tested in animal models. If successful, this breakthrough could pave the way for cleaner, safer, and more sustainable cancer treatments, originating not from synthetic chemicals or land animals, but from the ocean floor.
The Hindu
34 minutes ago
- The Hindu
India set to integrate rare blood donor registry with e-Rakt Kosh
In what would be a life, time and cost saving move for people with rare blood groups in India the Central Health Ministry is looking at integrating the country's Rare Donor Registry with the national online platform for blood bank management and blood availability information called e-Rakt Kosh. The integration will allow those with rare blood groups to access a centralized system developed under the National Health Mission (NHS), providing details on blood banks, blood availability, and blood donation camps across the country. Essentially, it will help people find blood and blood banks, and assist blood banks manage their stock and donors. 'Indian Council of Medical Research- National Institute of Immunohaematology (NIIH) along with four partnering institutes created a data base of 4,000 carefully screened donors, tested for over 300 rare blood markers. It helps doctors find rare and specially matched blood quickly. Rare donor registry of India (RDRI) platform has been developed to help patients across India,' said Manisha R. Madkaikar, director, Indian Council of Medical Research's (ICMR)-NIIH and Centre for Research, Management and Control of Heamoglobinopathies (CRMCH). She added that the integration project will be taken up soon and will offer more access and support to those with rare blood group. 'The challenge is to ensure that we have a steady, motivated group of donors who stay connected to the blood banks,' she said. Explaining how this the registry for rare blood group helps Dr. Madkaikar said that this system helps find rare matches as the registry includes ultra-rare type like Bombay blood group, P-Null and Rh-null blood. It also helps ensure safer transfusions where matches are available for patients missing multiple antigens (common in thalassemia and sickle cell) to prevent complications. 'The group has also developed a special blood screening kit tailored for Indian patients and it uses DNA test (multiplex PCR) to quickly identify rare blood types,' said Dr. Madkaikar. She added at in the past this registry has been used to turn nearly impossible search into life-saving solutions and with the integration and reach India could work towards ensuring that no life is lost due to lack of blood. Meanwhile, working the area of effectively managing hemoglobinopathies ICMR-NIIA has also developed point of care test to detect life-threatening blood related genetic disorders. 'The Health Technology Assessments (HTA) led by Department of Health Research (DHR) and ICMR-CRMCH and NIIH helped cut the cost of sickle cell diagnostic kits from ₹350 to under ₹50 per test, saving the government nearly ₹1,857 crore,' said a note issued by ICMR-CRMCH. 'India has developed testing for Hemophilia A and Von Willebrand Disease and now World Federation for Hemophilia has shown interest in procuring these tests for deployment in countries where the disease is prevalent. For India this new rapid, visual card testing device has made testing possible even at primary health centers,' said Dr. Madkaikar. This upgraded testing is cheaper than what is currently available. India has about 1.4 lakh Hemophilia patients which is the second highest globally after Brazil. Hemophilia is a rare genetic disorder where the blood doesn't clot properly due to a deficiency in clotting factors. The technology for the POC test for these conditions was transferred to Bengaluru based biotechnology firm Bhat Biotech which commercialised it under the brand name Bio-Scan in August, 2023.
