Mass yoga sessions were held across India to mark the International Day of Yoga. Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the celebrations in Kolkata, emphasizing yoga's role in healthy ageing and its contribution to physical and mental well-being. Union ministers and chief ministers participated in mass yoga events in various locations. In Hyderabad, a preparatory yoga event held on June 20 was described by Union minister G. Kishan Reddy as a distinctive local tradition. Participants were described as enthusiastic in events attended by public representatives and government officials. Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu exhorted people to make yoga a part of daily life, according to the Hindu. Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla stated that yoga is a way of life, not merely an exercise, and unites body, mind and spirit, offering physical health, mental tranquillity and spiritual balance. He highlighted the Centre’s cultural initiatives over the past 12 years, including UNESCO recognitions, the elevation of 11 Indian languages to classical status, the digitisation of over 1.2 million manuscripts, and the repatriation of 668 artefacts. He also lauded Prime Minister Modi’s efforts to secure June 21 as International Yoga Day at the UN, and said the global adoption of yoga was framed as evidence of India’s ancient knowledge systems. The International Day of Yoga was presented as a collective global celebration of yoga's benefits.