CM Bhajanlal credits Modi for yoga's global UN recognition
Synopsis
Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma addressed the International Yoga Day 2026 event at Nakki Lake in Sirohi, attributing yoga's global recognition by the United Nations to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visionary diplomacy and sustained international outreach.
Key Takeaways
CM Bhajanlal Sharma addressed the state-level International Yoga Day 2026 event at Nakki Lake, Sirohi on 21 June 2026 .
He credited PM Narendra Modi with securing yoga's global identity through 'visionary efforts and effective global diplomacy.' The UN General Assembly adopted resolution 69/131 in 2014 , declaring 21 June as the International Day of Yoga following India's initiative.
Annual mass yoga events have been held since 2015 , coordinated by the Ministry of AYUSH and state administrations.
Rajasthan is leveraging heritage tourism sites such as Mount Abu to host large-scale wellness and cultural programmes.
Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma of Rajasthan addressed a state-level International Yoga Day event held at Nakki Lake in Sirohi on 21 June 2026, crediting Prime Minister Narendra Modi with taking yoga beyond India's borders and securing its recognition from the United Nations.
Context
Speaking at the lakeside gathering, CM Sharma said — translated from Hindi — that 'the credit for giving yoga a global identity, beyond the boundaries of the country, goes to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.' He further noted that 'through the Prime Minister's visionary efforts and effective global diplomacy, yoga received recognition from the United Nations.' The scenic Nakki Lake, situated near Mount Abu in southern Rajasthan, provided the backdrop for the state's marquee observance of the day.
Policy Backdrop
In 2014, the UN General Assembly unanimously adopted resolution 69/131, declaring 21 June as the International Day of Yoga — following India's proposal at the world body. Since 2015, the Government of India has organised mass yoga demonstrations at venues across the country and abroad each year on this date. The Ministry of AYUSH and state administrations coordinate these public events, which have grown into one of the largest annual wellness observances globally.
Successive Indian governments have positioned yoga promotion as an instrument of soft-power diplomacy, embedding it within a broader effort to project traditional Indian knowledge systems in global health and cultural discourse. Rajasthan has integrated wellness tourism into its state development strategy, using heritage sites such as Mount Abu for large-scale public programmes.
Stakeholders and Impact
The event at Nakki Lake drew yoga practitioners from across the region, underlining the state government's emphasis on public participation in the annual observance. For Rajasthan's tourism sector, high-profile events at scenic destinations like Mount Abu serve a dual purpose — civic engagement and destination promotion. The state's alignment with the Centre's AYUSH agenda also signals continued administrative focus on wellness infrastructure.
What's Next
Attention will now turn to state budget allocations for AYUSH infrastructure in Rajasthan and the scale at which the government plans to organise future International Yoga Day programmes. The 2026 event at Nakki Lake sets a precedent for using the state's heritage tourism circuit as a platform for nationally significant observances, a pattern likely to continue in coming years.
Point of View
The address ties Rajasthan's state-level observance to a landmark multilateral achievement, amplifying its political resonance. The choice of the scenic Mount Abu belt also reflects the state's deliberate strategy of fusing governance optics with tourism promotion. Taken together, the event signals that wellness diplomacy — pioneered at the Centre — is now a standard instrument in state-level political communication as well.
NationPress
21 Jun 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is 21 June celebrated as International Yoga Day?
The UN General Assembly declared 21 June as International Day of Yoga through resolution 69/131 in 2014 , following a proposal by India at the United Nations. The date marks the summer solstice and has been observed globally since 2015 .
What did CM Bhajanlal Sharma say on International Yoga Day 2026?
CM Bhajanlal Sharma credited PM Narendra Modi with taking yoga beyond India's borders and securing its recognition from the United Nations through 'visionary efforts and effective global diplomacy,' speaking at the Nakki Lake event in Sirohi .
Where was Rajasthan's International Yoga Day 2026 event held?
Rajasthan's state-level International Yoga Day 2026 event was held at Nakki Lake in Sirohi district, near Mount Abu in southern Rajasthan.
How did India get yoga recognised by the United Nations?
Prime Minister Narendra Modi proposed the international observance at the UN General Assembly in 2014 , after which the Assembly unanimously adopted resolution 69/131 declaring 21 June as the International Day of Yoga .
What is Nakki Lake and why is it significant?
Nakki Lake is a scenic lake in Sirohi district, Rajasthan, located near the hill station of Mount Abu . It is a prominent tourism destination and is used for large-scale public and cultural events by the state government.
