CM Dhami leads Yoga Day event in Banbasa, touts state yoga policy
Synopsis
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami joined yoga practitioners, SSB personnel and citizens at a state-level International Yoga Day event in Banbasa, Champawat, on 21 June 2026. He highlighted Uttarakhand's first-of-its-kind Yoga Policy and the Rs 3,300 crore Sharda Corridor project as pillars of the state's wellness and tourism ambitions.
Key Takeaways
CM Pushkar Singh Dhami led the 12th International Yoga Day state-level event at Banbasa in Champawat district on 21 June 2026 .
Participants included Sashastra Seema Bal personnel, students, youth, women and senior citizens.
Uttarakhand's Yoga Policy — described as India's first — offers subsidies of up to Rs 20 lakh for yoga centres and grants of up to Rs 10 lakh for research in yoga and naturopathy.
Five new yoga hubs are being developed across the state, with yoga services being integrated into all AYUSH Health and Wellness Centres.
The Sharda Corridor project , estimated at Rs 3,300 crore , will develop a spiritual and tourism corridor from Tankpur to Banbasa ; the first phase involves Rs 179 crore for Sharda Ghat redevelopment.
CM Dhami credited PM Narendra Modi's UN initiative for giving International Yoga Day global recognition across more than 190 countries .
The Chief Minister's Office of Uttarakhand announced on Sunday, 21 June 2026 that Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami led a mass yoga session at a state-level event in Banbasa, Champawat district, marking the 12th International Yoga Day. He was joined by yoga practitioners, Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) personnel, students, youth, women and senior citizens in collective practice on the banks of the Sharda river.
Context
International Yoga Day is observed every year on 21 June following a United Nations resolution adopted after Prime Minister Narendra Modi proposed the observance at the UN General Assembly in 2014. The first global observance was held in 2015, and the day has since grown into one of the largest mass participation events worldwide. CM Dhami noted that yoga has now reached 'vishwabhar mein manavta ko jodne ka karya' (the work of connecting humanity across the world), with more than 190 countries and crores of people now engaged with the practice.
Banbasa, a town in Champawat district on the Nepal border, was chosen as the venue to spotlight the region's spiritual identity and to connect the event with the ongoing Sharda Corridor development project. CM Dhami described the occasion as a matter of 'atyanth harsha aur gaurav' (immense joy and pride), calling the site the sacred land of Maa Sharda.
Policy Backdrop
Uttarakhand has positioned itself as India's foremost yoga and wellness destination. The state government has implemented what it describes as the country's first dedicated Yoga Policy, which provides a subsidy of up to Rs 20 lakh for establishing yoga and meditation centres, and grants of up to Rs 10 lakh for research and study in yoga, meditation and naturopathy.
Under the same policy, five new yoga hubs are being developed across the state, and yoga services are being integrated into all AYUSH Health and Wellness Centres. CM Dhami reiterated the state government's stated goal of establishing Uttarakhand as the 'yoga evam wellness ki vaishvik rajdhani' (global capital of yoga and wellness).
Separately, the Sharda Corridor project, estimated at approximately Rs 3,300 crore, is being developed to transform the stretch from Tankpur to Banbasa into a spiritual and tourism corridor. In the first phase, redevelopment of the Sharda Ghat has begun at a cost of Rs 179 crore.
Stakeholders and Impact
The event drew a wide cross-section of participants — SSB jawans deployed along the Nepal border, school students, local youth, women's groups and senior citizens — reflecting the state government's intent to mainstream yoga across age groups and institutions. CM Dhami specifically called on youth not to limit yoga to a single day but to make it a daily practice and to stay away from substance abuse, framing yoga as a counter to stress, depression and unhealthy lifestyles.
Senior officials present included Cabinet Minister Bharat Chaudhary, Zila Panchayat President Anand Singh Adhikari, CM Secretary and Kumaon Commissioner Deepak Rawat, AYUSH Secretary Ranjana Rajguru, IG Kumaon Nivedita Kukrethi, Champawat District Magistrate Manish Kumar, SP Rekha Yadav, Udham Singh Nagar DM Nitin Singh Bhadauria, SP Ajay Ganapati and Chief Development Officer Dr G.S. Khati.
What's Next
The immediate focus will be on the phased roll-out of the five yoga hubs and disbursement of subsidies and grants under Uttarakhand's Yoga Policy. Progress on the Sharda Corridor river-front works — particularly the Rs 179 crore first-phase Sharda Ghat redevelopment — will be a key infrastructure milestone to watch. CM Dhami expressed confidence that residents of Uttarakhand would actively participate in realising the state's ambition of becoming a global centre for yoga and wellness.
Point of View
Tying a cultural observance to a Rs 3,300 crore infrastructure project that the CM needs to keep in public view. The Yoga Policy with its subsidy architecture signals an attempt to convert spiritual branding into an investable economic sector, a move that mirrors similar positioning by other Himalayan states. CM Dhami's repeated invocation of PM Modi's UN initiative also reinforces the ideological alignment between the state and central governments heading into a period when tourism and wellness are being framed as core development pillars. The real test will be whether the five yoga hubs and subsidy disbursements materialise on schedule, or remain aspirational announcements.
NationPress
21 Jun 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Where was Uttarakhand's International Yoga Day 2026 state event held?
The state-level event was held at Banbasa in Champawat district on the banks of the Sharda river on 21 June 2026 .
What is Uttarakhand's Yoga Policy?
Uttarakhand's Yoga Policy, described as India's first, provides subsidies of up to Rs 20 lakh for setting up yoga and meditation centres, and grants of up to Rs 10 lakh for research in yoga, meditation and naturopathy. It also envisages five new yoga hubs and yoga services at all AYUSH Health and Wellness Centres.
What is the Sharda Corridor project?
The Sharda Corridor is a spiritual and tourism development project estimated at approximately Rs 3,300 crore , covering the stretch from Tankpur to Banbasa along the Sharda river. Its first phase involves redevelopment of Sharda Ghat at a cost of Rs 179 crore .
How did International Yoga Day become a global event?
Prime Minister Narendra Modi proposed an International Day of Yoga at the UN General Assembly in 2014 . The UN adopted the resolution and the first global observance was held on 21 June 2015 . The day is now observed in more than 190 countries .
What did CM Dhami say to the youth on Yoga Day 2026?
CM Dhami urged youth not to limit yoga to a single day but to make it part of their daily routine. He also called on young people to stay away from substance abuse and adopt a healthy, disciplined and positive lifestyle.
