Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami participated in the Run for Yoga programme organised at Police Lines, Dehradun on Friday, 20 June 2026, on the eve of the 12th International Yoga Day, reaffirming Uttarakhand's ambition to become a global centre for yoga, Ayurveda, and wellness.

Context

Addressing participants, CM Dhami described the event as far more than a race. 'Yeh aayojan keval ek daud nahin' (This event is not merely a run), he said, calling it 'a powerful campaign to spread healthy living, positive thinking, and yoga to every person.' He also urged citizens to pledge daily yoga practice, a drug-free lifestyle, and to carry the message of yoga to the wider public.

The Chief Minister highlighted Uttarakhand's centuries-old identity as Devbhoomi — the land of the gods — and a seat of sages, spiritual practice, and natural healing. He called yoga 'India's ancient cultural heritage and a scientific, life-affirming method that establishes harmony between body, mind, and soul.'

Policy Backdrop

CM Dhami credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visionary leadership for giving yoga global recognition. He noted that following PM Modi's proposal at the United Nations General Assembly in 2014, 21 June was formally recognised as International Yoga Day, first observed in 2015. Today, he said, more than 190 countries and crores of people practise yoga worldwide.

The state government's New Yoga Policy forms the institutional backbone of this push. Under it, the government is working to promote yoga and meditation centres, extend support to yoga trainers, and develop new employment opportunities in the wellness sector — positioning Uttarakhand as a global hub for yoga, Ayurveda, and naturopathy. This aligns with the broader national AYUSH framework that treats traditional medicine as both a public-health tool and a soft-power instrument.

Stakeholders and Impact

CM Dhami made a pointed appeal to the state's youth, calling them 'the cornerstone of a bright future for the state and the nation.' He urged young people to make regular yoga and physical exercise part of their daily routine, framing a healthy, energetic, and disciplined youth as essential to building a prosperous Uttarakhand.

Workers in the wellness sector — yoga instructors, Ayurveda practitioners, and wellness tourism operators — stand to benefit from the policy's employment-generation provisions. The Himalayan state's geography and spiritual heritage give it a natural competitive advantage in attracting domestic and international wellness tourists, a market that has grown sharply since the pandemic.

Senior officials present at the event included Cabinet Minister Madan Kaushik, MLA Vinod Chamoli, Dehradun Mayor Saurabh Thapliyal, Secretary AYUSH Ranjana Rajguru, District Magistrate Dehradun Dr. Ashish Chauhan, and Senior Superintendent of Police Parmendra Dobhal.

What's Next

The main International Yoga Day observance falls on 21 June 2026, with mass yoga sessions expected across Uttarakhand and the rest of India. The state government's next tangible test will be the rollout of concrete milestones and budget allocations under the New Yoga Policy, which will determine how swiftly yoga-linked employment and wellness infrastructure scale up. How Uttarakhand converts its spiritual geography into a durable economic asset in the wellness sector will be closely watched in the months ahead.