By: IPP Bureau
Last updated : June 22, 2026 4:21 pm
International Day of Yoga 2026 event highlights preventive healthcare, wellness-focused lifestyles and the growing global acceptance of yoga
Dr. Murli Manohar Joshi, former Union Minister for Human Resource Development, Science & Technology, urged people to embrace India’s ancient wellness traditions to build healthier individuals and societies. He was addressing the International Day of Yoga 2026 celebrations organised by the Illness to Wellness Foundation in New Delhi.
Held under the theme “Yoga for Healthy Ageing,” the event brought together diplomats, ambassadors, corporate leaders, healthcare advocates, wellness practitioners and yoga enthusiasts to celebrate yoga as a holistic approach to preventive healthcare and healthy living.
The programme focused on the need to move from an illness-centric healthcare model towards wellness-oriented lifestyles amid the growing burden of lifestyle disorders, chronic diseases, stress and ageing populations worldwide.
Addressing the gathering, Dr. Joshi said yoga transcends religion, politics and dogma, serving as a universal philosophy that promotes harmony, compassion and cooperation while helping individuals achieve balance within themselves and with nature.
“Yoga is not a religion, a political movement, or dogma. It is a way of bringing harmony within diversity. It respects all cultures, creeds and nations. Yoga is a scientific tool, pleasant and enjoyable, which can help achieve balance of bodily, mental and emotional functions. If practised conscientiously, it uplifts the mind and emotions, raises consciousness and brings us into harmony with the whole of nature,” he said.
Anil Rajput, Chairperson, Advisory Council, Illness to Wellness Foundation, highlighted yoga’s expanding global footprint and relevance in addressing modern health challenges.
“Today, Yoga is practised in more than 200 countries by hundreds of millions of people. This is not merely the global spread of a wellness practice; it is the global acceptance of an ancient civilizational insight. At a time when the world is searching for sustainable models of health and wellbeing, this holistic approach offers valuable insights,” he said.
Adding a practical dimension to the celebrations, attendees participated in a yoga session led by Dr. Tanu Singh, Founder, LifeYoga. The session included a series of asanas, breathing exercises and movements designed to enhance strength, flexibility, posture and overall vitality, demonstrating how yoga can be seamlessly incorporated into everyday life to support healthy ageing.
Dr. Rashmi Saluja, Chairperson, GTTCI (Global Federation), Kuldhara Investment Pvt. Ltd. and Forward Edge – AI India Pvt. Ltd., thanked the distinguished guests, wellness practitioners and participants for celebrating India’s yoga heritage and collective commitment to holistic well-being.