From mats to saplings: Over 37 lakh join Haryana’s Yoga Day celebrations

Under the leadership of Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, Haryana concluded the final event of International Day of Yoga (IDY) 2025 on Saturday with an overwhelming response from citizens across all districts. The celebration culminated in a total participation of over 37.56 lakh people, making this year’s event one of the largest and most impactful yoga movements in the state’s history and reinforcing the message of ‘Yoga Yukt, Nasha Mukt Haryana’.

State Health and AYUSH Minister Arti Singh Rao stated that in a concerted effort led by the Department of AYUSH, along with the Department of Sports and Youth Affairs, a total of 7,11,246 individuals took part in yoga sessions held across Haryana on June 21 alone.

The day also witnessed a significant environmental commitment, with 1,90,065 saplings planted state-wide as part of the ‘Harit Yoga’ initiative. She said the main state-level IDY 2025 event, which placed special focus on community engagement and holistic wellness, recorded 1,01,000 participants and 1,00,000 plantations, marking a symbolic harmony between health and environment.

The plantation drive has also been a resounding success, with 2,02,270 saplings planted so far. Additionally, the official IDY portal received 25,57,000 registrations, reflecting both the campaign’s digital reach and enthusiastic public involvement.

She said the Department of AYUSH played a pivotal role in mobilising 1,58,941 participants for the main event and contributed 5,198 saplings to the plantation count. The Sports Department also demonstrated strong engagement with 1,81,710 participants, reinforcing the message of physical and mental well-being through yoga.

The event was organised under the directions of Director General, AYUSH, Sanjeev Verma and supported by his team members Dr Sushma Nain, Dr Dilip Mishra, Dr Chandan Dua, Dr Radhay Shaym and others.