New Delhi: The Delhi government is set to commemorate the 11th International Yoga Day on June 21 with a series of major events across 11 prominent venues in the city, as announced by Education Minister Ashish Sood on Saturday.
During a review meeting at the Delhi Secretariat, Sood revealed that this year’s celebrations will mark the first collaboration with the Government of India.
In addition to the yoga events, a large-scale tree plantation initiative titled ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam 2.0’ will also be launched concurrently.
The Yoga Day festivities will take place at various locations, including 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. Each venue will be overseen by a designated minister to ensure smooth operations.
“The primary objective is to promote physical and mental wellness among students, teachers, and the broader community,” Sood stated, noting that approximately 20,000 participants are expected to join the celebrations across all venues. This diverse group will include students and teachers from Delhi government schools, yoga instructors, National Service Scheme (NSS) and National Cadet Corps (NCC) cadets, as well as civil defense volunteers.
The main event will be hosted at Chhatrasal Stadium, where around 10,000 participants are anticipated, supported by 5,000 volunteers from the Bharatiya Yog Sansthan. Each of the remaining venues will accommodate nearly 1,000 participants, according to the minister.
Comprehensive arrangements will be made at each site, including provisions for water, refreshments, yoga mats, T-shirts, medical facilities, mobile toilets, fogging, and power supply. Additionally, ambulances and fire safety measures will be readily available.
The Delhi Police will oversee security and traffic management for the upcoming events, ensuring comprehensive measures such as CCTV surveillance, color-coded parking passes, and coordination of emergency services.
District Magistrates have been tasked with facilitating transportation and the distribution of refreshments, as well as ensuring the availability of essential supplies, including yoga mats and T-shirts.
Additionally, they are directed to engage local schools, colleges, yoga instructors, and government offices to encourage widespread participation.
Regarding the ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam 2.0’ campaign, Sood characterized it as a distinctive initiative that merges environmental awareness with a heartfelt tribute to motherhood.
The campaign’s inaugural phase was launched on World Environment Day last year, marked by Prime Minister Narendra Modi planting a Peepal sapling at Buddha Jayanti Park in Delhi. This year, on June 5, he continued the tradition by planting a Banyan tree at Mahavir Jayanti Park.
On June 9, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta will plant a sapling at Rajkiya Pratibha Vikas Vidyalaya in Shalimar Bagh as part of this initiative, according to an official statement.
The central government has set an ambitious target of planting 10 crore saplings nationwide. In alignment with this goal, the Delhi government aims to plant 3.7 lakh saplings during the 2025-26 period, which includes 1 lakh trees, 2 lakh shrubs, and 70,000 bamboo plants in schools, parks, and along roadways.
Sood urged students, teachers, citizens, and government employees to plant a tree in honor of their mothers and share a selfie with their newly planted sapling.
“This campaign must evolve into a people’s movement, reflecting our collective commitment to a greener and cleaner Delhi,” he emphasized.
The campaign will take place throughout June, July, and August, with active participation from the Chief Minister, ministers, Members of Parliament, and Members of the Legislative Assembly.
