In a landmark celebration of the 11th International Day of Yoga, Visakhapatnam created history on Saturday by setting a new Guinness World Record for the largest gathering at a single yoga session. Over 3.01 lakh participants stretched, breathed, and moved in unison along a scenic 28-km coastal stretch, led by none other than Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The event not only surpassed expectations but also symbolised a collective spirit of wellness and unity among people from all walks of life.
A New Global Milestone
The grand yoga session took place along the stretch from RK Beach to Bhogapuram, becoming the largest of its kind in history. The previous record was held by Surat, Gujarat, which had hosted 1.47 lakh people in a yoga session in 2023. Visakhapatnam shattered that figure with 3.01 lakh participants, officially recognised by the Guinness World Records shortly after the event.
PM Modi performed the Common Yoga Protocol on the beach, joined by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan, Governor S. Abdul Nazeer, and several central and state ministers. Their presence added both gravity and celebration to the occasion, making it a spectacle of national pride.
Mass Participation and Precise Coordination
The event marked the grand finale of Andhra Pradesh’s month-long ‘Yogandhra’ campaign, which engaged 2.17 crore participants across the state. The organisers meticulously coordinated participation using 607 urban secretariats and rural networks to guide individuals into 326 pre-defined compartments across the 28-km stretch. Each compartment featured synchronised yoga performances to ensure the event met global record standards.
People of all age groups and backgrounds participated enthusiastically—students, professionals, women, children, senior citizens, and even members of tribal communities. About 11,000 Navy personnel and their families also joined, while Eastern Naval Command arranged yoga sessions aboard naval ships docked off the coast, amplifying the maritime spirit of the event.
Another Record with Surya Namaskar
Alongside Saturday’s historic feat, Visakhapatnam secured another Guinness Record on Friday for a mass surya namaskar event featuring 22,122 tribal students. This dual achievement underlines the deep community engagement that the state fostered over the past month.
Guinness officials presented certificates for both records to ministers Nara Lokesh and Satya Kumar. Lokesh remarked that the entire campaign had been planned as a gift to Prime Minister Modi, expressing joy at its overwhelming success. He credited the people of Andhra Pradesh for making the initiative a victory of awareness, discipline, and unity.
The PM’s praise for the effort, Lokesh noted, had brought pride but also increased the responsibility to continue promoting health and wellness across the state. The record-breaking gathering stands as a testimony to yoga’s growing influence, not just as a personal practice, but as a cultural force uniting millions in shared purpose.
