Delhi govt to celebrate International Yoga Day at 11 key venues

The Delhi government will celebrate the 11th International Yoga Day on June 21 with major events planned in 11 prominent venues across the city, Education Minister Ashish Sood said on Saturday.

Chairing a review meeting at the Delhi Secretariat, Sood said the events will be held in collaboration with the Government of India for the first time.

He added that a large-scale tree plantation drive titled ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam 2.0’ will also be rolled out alongside.

The Yoga Day events will be organised at venues including the Thyagaraj Stadium, East Vinod Nagar Sports Complex, Jhilmil Colony, Bawana, Prahladpur, Bharat Nagar, Yamuna Bank, Najafgarh Stadium, Dwarka Sector-6, and Ashok Nagar Hockey Stadium.

A minister will be assigned to oversee the activities at each location.

“The goal is to promote physical and mental wellness among students, teachers, and the wider community,” he said, adding that around 20,000 people are expected to take part across the 11 venues.

This includes students, teachers from Delhi government schools, yoga instructors, NSS and NCC cadets, and civil defence volunteers.

The main function will be held at the Chhatrasal Stadium with about 10,000 participants, supported by 5,000 volunteers from the Bharatiya Yog Sansthan. The remaining venues will each host nearly 1,000 participants, the minister said.

All necessary arrangements, including water, refreshments, yoga mats, T-shirts, medical facilities, mobile toilets, fogging, and power supply, will be made available at each site. Ambulances and fire safety measures will also be in place.

The Delhi Police will be responsible for security and traffic regulation. CCTV surveillance, colour-coded parking passes, and emergency service coordination will be ensured.

District Magistrates have been asked to facilitate transportation, and refreshment distribution, and ensure the availability of supplies like yoga mats and T-shirts.

They have also been directed to mobilise participation from local schools, colleges, yoga instructors, and government offices.

Also Read: Despite call from Asian Games, yoga yet to pick pace in Delhi

Talking about the ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam 2.0’ campaign, Sood described it as a unique initiative that combines environmental awareness with a tribute to motherhood.

The first phase of the campaign was launched on World Environment Day last year when Prime Minister Narendra Modi planted a Peepal sapling at the Buddha Jayanti Park in Delhi.

This year, he planted a Banyan tree at the Mahavir Jayanti Park on June 5.

On June 9, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta will plant a sapling at the Rajkiya Pratibha Vikas Vidyalaya in Shalimar Bagh as part of the campaign, an official statement said.

The Centre has set a target of planting 10 crore saplings. In support of this, the Delhi government plans to plant 3.7 lakh saplings during the 2025-26 period, including 1 lakh trees, 2 lakh shrubs, and 70,000 bamboo plants in schools, parks, and along roads, the statement added.

Sood called on students, teachers, citizens, and government employees to plant a tree in their mother’s name and upload a selfie with it.

“This campaign must become a people’s movement. It reflects our shared commitment to a greener and cleaner Delhi,” he said.

The campaign will run throughout June, July, and August, with participation from the chief minister, ministers, MPs, and MLAs.