Visakhapatnam, June 21 – The city witnessed a monumental celebration this morning as Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the International Yoga Day 2025 mega event in Visakhapatnam. The occasion marked one of the world’s largest yoga gatherings, stretching across a breathtaking 26-kilometre coastal expanse from Ramakrishna Beach to Bhogapuram.
Thousands gathered at the crack of dawn—around 6 AM—to embrace the spirit of yoga, a discipline that has become India’s global emblem of wellness and spiritual harmony. Over five lakh participants performed yoga in unison, symbolizing unity, peace, and holistic health.
The Andhra Pradesh government left no stone unturned to make this event a historic affair. With 326 designated zones hosting 1,000 yoga enthusiasts each, and more than 3,000 buses mobilized, the event was nothing short of a logistical marvel. More than 10,000 police personnel, 1,200 CCTV cameras, and drone surveillance ensured tight security throughout the stretch, coordinated by a cutting-edge control room.
A Guinness Record in the Making
One of the most anticipated highlights was the Surya Namaskar performance by 25,000 tribal students, who demonstrated the sequence continuously for 108 minutes at the Andhra University campus. This effort aims to secure a Guinness World Record for the largest group yoga demonstration.
In line with the scale of the event, the government distributed 3.32 lakh t-shirts and 5 lakh yoga mats. Over 1.3 lakh venues were set up across Andhra Pradesh, with additional arrangements for 30,000 backup participants in Visakhapatnam.
Yoga as a State Movement
Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu emphasized that the goal transcends world records—it’s about instilling yoga into everyday life. He announced plans to introduce yoga in school curricula starting from Class 9 and revealed intentions to establish a deemed yoga university in the state.
A formal Yoga Day declaration was proposed, encouraging citizens to embrace yoga as a lifelong commitment to physical and mental well-being.
Massive Public Participation
Fuelled by the statewide campaign ‘Yogandhra’, over 15,000 yoga competitions were organized from village to state level, boosting awareness and involvement. Registrations for the event surpassed 2.39 crore, exceeding the initial target of 2 crore—a testament to yoga’s growing impact and Andhra Pradesh’s remarkable mobilization.
As the world observes International Yoga Day, Visakhapatnam has set a shining example of community, culture, and commitment coming together in a celebration of health and harmony.
