By Our Correspondent
BHUBANESWAR:International Yoga Day 2026 was celebrated today at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar.Chief Minister Shri Mohan Charan Majhi, who was the chief guest on this occasion, described Yoga as a unique blend of physical, intellectual and spiritual aspects.
The Chief Minister said that Yoga is not limited to any particular religion, but is a universal invaluable gift for the development of human consciousness.
He stated that due to the vision of the eminent Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, yoga has gained global recognition and has established India’s cultural pride.
The theme of this year’s Yoga Day is “Yoga for Healthy Ageing”. Highlighting this, the Chief Minister said that various physical and mental challenges that arise in the body with increasing age, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, anxiety and loneliness, can be easily solved through yoga and pranayama.
He expressed that the well-being of the state’s senior citizens is an invaluable asset to society.
Similarly, he advised the youth, who are busy with mobile and social media in today’s digital age, to add at least 20 to 30 minutes every day to stay stress-free.
Expressing the government’s commitment to the development of healthcare and traditional medicine in the state, the Chief Minister announced that three new Ayurvedic Medical Colleges will be set up in Gajapati, Malkangiri and Rayagada districts to further strengthen the AYUSH healthcare system. A state-of-the-art Yoga and Naturopathy Institute is being constructed on an area of 20 acres at Binjhagiri in Jatni, while the foundation stone of a Central Ayurvedic Medical College has been laid at Rairangpur. He informed that the government is taking steps to include Yoga in school curricula and public health programmes.
It is worth mentioning here that the Chief Minister participated in the live yoga program of the famous Prime Minister Narendra Modi Ji on the occasion of International Yoga Day, which was broadcast from Kolkata, through virtual medium. After the Prime Minister’s address, the Chief Minister himself sat in the presence of all the senior officers, students and yoga lovers present at the stadium and practiced yoga live.
The program was hosted by Mr. Alok Das and Satya Shobhan Mishra on behalf of the Yoga Festival Committee.
The event was attended by Higher Education, Sports and Youth Affairs and Odia Language, Literature and Culture Minister Suryavanshi Suraj, Schools and Mass Education Minister Nityanand Gand, Fisheries and Livestock Development Minister Gokulanand Mallick, Kandhamal MP Sukant Kumar Panigrahi, Chief Secretary Anu Garg, Development Commissioner DK Singh and Sports and Youth Affairs Commissioner and Secretary Bhupinder Singh Punia, along with many senior officials, sportspersons, and media representatives.
