12th International Day of Yoga: PM Modi leads national observance from Red Road, Kolkata

📌 Summary:

• PM Modi led the national observance of the 12th International Day of Yoga (IDY) from Red Road, Kolkata on 21 June 2026, participating in the Common Yoga Protocol with thousands of practitioners
• This year's IDY theme is "Yoga for Healthy Ageing"
• PM framed yoga as a unifying force "from the Himalayas to the Indian Ocean" and as a source of consciousness, vitality and inner illumination across all life stages
• He invoked Bengal's spiritual heritage - Ramakrishna Paramahansa, Swami Vivekananda, Maharshi Aurobindo, Lahiri Mahasaya and Rabindranath Tagore - and praised Kolkata's "Swachhta Se Swagat" cleanliness drive
• 21 June is the longest day of the year in many regions; IDY is observed globally as one of the largest collective wellness celebrations

📝 Prelims Facts:

• International Day of Yoga is observed on 21 June every year (12th edition in 2026)
• 2026 theme: "Yoga for Healthy Ageing"
• The UN designated 21 June as the International Day of Yoga (first observed in 2015)
• 2026 national observance led from Red Road, Kolkata; Common Yoga Protocol followed

🔑 Key Term: Common Yoga Protocol - a standardised sequence of yoga practices used for mass demonstrations on the International Day of Yoga.