Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Friday, 5 June 2026, congratulated 10 Haryana athletes, two coaches, and a team representative who are part of the Indian contingent at the first-ever World Yogasana Championship being held in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. Saini also noted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually inaugurated the championship and delivered an address that the Chief Minister described as a landmark moment in the global history of yogasana as a sport.

Context

Posting on X, Saini wrote in Hindi: 'अहमदाबाद (गुजरात) में आयोजित प्रथम #WorldYogasanaChampionship का माननीय प्रधानमंत्री श्री @NarendraModi जी द्वारा वर्चुअल उद्घाटन तथा उनका प्रेरणादायक संबोधन योगासन खेल के वैश्विक इतिहास में एक महत्वपूर्ण एवं गौरवपूर्ण अध्याय है।' — ['The virtual inauguration of the first World Yogasana Championship in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, by Prime Minister Modi and his inspiring address is an important and proud chapter in the global history of yogasana as a sport.']. The Chief Minister also tagged Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya and Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, signalling federal and state coordination behind the event.

Saini expressed confidence that the Haryana contingent would 'spread the message of health, harmony, and human welfare through yogasana to the entire world,' reflecting the state government's alignment with the central push to internationalise yoga-based disciplines.

Policy Backdrop

India's promotion of yoga on the world stage gained formal international recognition when the UN General Assembly declared 21 June as the International Day of Yoga in 2014, following a proposal by Prime Minister Modi. Annual mass yoga events have since been held across India and at Indian missions abroad, with states including Haryana fielding participants.

The Fit India Movement, launched in 2019, further integrated yoga into state-level sports and wellness programmes. Yogasana's recognition as a competitive sport — with structured championships — is an extension of this policy arc, moving the discipline from wellness practice to medal sport on the international stage. Virtual inaugurations by the Prime Minister have become a standard format for national-level sports and cultural events.

Stakeholders and Impact

Haryana has a strong track record in competitive sports, regularly punching above its weight in national and international events. The inclusion of 10 athletes and 2 coaches from the state in the Indian yogasana team underscores the state sports department's investment in emerging disciplines alongside traditional medal sports. For the athletes, competing at the inaugural edition of a world championship carries the added significance of being part of a historic first.

Union Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, who oversees national sports policy, and Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel, whose state is hosting the event in Ahmedabad, are the key institutional stakeholders. The championship also serves India's broader soft-power agenda, projecting yoga — an Indian cultural export — as a structured, competitive global sport.

What's Next

The performance of the Indian team, and specifically the Haryana contingent, at the inaugural championship will be closely watched by state sports officials. Strong results could accelerate investment in dedicated yogasana training infrastructure in Haryana. The event also sets a precedent for future editions of the World Yogasana Championship, with India positioned as the natural host and leader of the sport's global governance.