Visakhapatnam, June 21 – A 26-kilometre coastal stretch from Ramakrishna Beach to Bhogapuram transformed into a sea of serenity this morning as Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the International Yoga Day celebrations in Visakhapatnam. The event, touted as one of the world’s largest yoga gatherings, aimed at uniting over 5 lakh participants in a grand display of India’s cultural and spiritual strength.
Starting at 6 AM sharp, the event saw massive participation across 326 zones, each accommodating approximately 1,000 yoga practitioners. An estimated 3,000 buses ferried enthusiastic citizens to the venue, as Visakhapatnam turned into a symbolic epicentre of global wellness.
With over 10,000 police personnel deployed, 1,200 CCTV cameras, drones, and a state-of-the-art control room monitoring the event, security was water-tight, especially in light of the Prime Minister’s presence.
According to Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, the event was about breaking records and encouraging a long-term, lifestyle-level dedication to yoga throughout the state. He declared that yoga will be taught in schools beginning in Class 9 and that he intended to create a university devoted only to yoga studies.
The ‘Surya Namaskar’ performance by 25,000 tribal students at Andhra University was one of the day’s most powerful images. In an attempt to set new world records for the longest and largest synchronized yoga session, they moved through positions in unison for 108 minutes.
The state organized more than 15,000 yoga competitions throughout villages and districts as part of a month-long campaign called “Yogandhra” in advance of the major event.
To ensure inclusivity and readiness, the state distributed 3.32 lakh t-shirts and 5 lakh yoga mats, and identified over 1.3 lakh yoga venues across Andhra Pradesh, with contingency spaces prepared for 30,000 people in Visakhapatnam alone.
As yoga continues to represent India’s spiritual heritage and global soft power, this year’s Yoga Day in Visakhapatnam truly set a new benchmark for community engagement, discipline, and cultural pride.
