The main International Day of Yoga celebrations this year will be held at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Conference Centre (SKICC) in Srinagar on June 21 with Prime Minister Narendra Modi leading the event there, AYUSH Minister Prataprao Jadhav said on Tuesday.

It will be Modi's first visit to Jammu and Kashmir after being sworn-in as the prime minister for his third term. Modi is scheduled to arrive in Srinagar on June 20 and lead the IDY celebrations the next day.

"Preparations are on and the arrangements for the programme have been put in place," an official in Srinagar said, adding hundreds of people, including many sportspersons, are expected to participate in the event.

The participants have been shortlisted and are being trained in various 'asanas' expected to be performed by the prime minister, the officials added.

Modi's last visit to Srinagar was in March this year when he addressed a public rally at the Bakhshi stadium here.

In Delhi, Minister of State for Ayush (independent charge) Jadhav said this year's theme 'Yoga for Self and Society' highlights yoga's dual role in fostering individual and societal wellbeing.

It underlines promoting connection between the inner-self and the outer world going beyond one's own wellbeing, Jadhav said.

"Yoga nurtures physical, mental, and spiritual growth while promoting societal harmony. The enthusiastic participation of millions in recent years reflects the profound impact of yoga on communities," the minister said.

He also announced that the PM has written to each gram pradhan, encouraging grassroots participation and the spread of yoga in rural areas.

Jadhav launched a 'Common Yoga Protocol Book in Braille' script to support visually impaired people in learning and practising yoga with convenience. The minister also launched Professor Ayushman comic on yoga. This book will help children to learn and practice yoga with interest and entertainment.

The United Nations General Assembly, heeding to a call by Prime Minister Modi, had made a declaration in December 2014 to observe June 21 every year as IDY.

The IDY resolution of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in December 2014 came at the initiative of PM Modi and was passed unanimously.

Since 2015, the IDY has evolved into a mass movement around the world, Jadhav said.

Ayush Secretary Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha said that IDY is not only a celebration but also a concerted effort to bring about a behavioural change so that people adopt yoga in their lives so that they can get the benefits of yoga.

He further highlighted the 'Whole of Government' approach to the IDY celebrations, emphasising the coordinated efforts across various government departments and the active participation of state governments to ensure an inclusive and widespread observance each year.

Along with state governments, union territories are actively participating in the IDY 2024. The National Ayush Mission team across the nation is also engaged in organising IDY events, he said.

This year, the IDY will witness several events including the 'Yoga for Space'. With support of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), the unique initiative is being organised wherein all ISRO scientists/officers will perform Common Yoga Protocol (CYP) on the day.

The Gaganyaan project team will also be participating in IDY 2024.

The Ayush ministry has also launched a video contest through MyGov and MyBharat portals to raise awareness about yoga and to inspire people to prepare for and become active participants in the observation of IDY 2024.

Families have to record up to one-minute harmonious yoga demonstration short video as a part of the contest.

To promote technology and start-ups in the field of yoga, the ministry has organised Yoga Tech Challenge on MyGov portal and MyBharat portal which aims to identify and promote those start-ups or individuals who have developed yoga related tools.

Last year, the global celebration of IDY was led by Modi at the United Nations headquarters in New York, USA, while the national celebration was led by Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar at Jabalpur in Madhya Pradesh.

The IDY celebration is done by a harmonious 45 minutes yoga demonstration called Common Yoga Protocol (CYP). Videos of CYP demonstrations are available on YouTube in 22 Indian languages, six UN languages and nine other foreign languages.

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