Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the first time led the national observance of the International Day of Yoga from Kolkata. The event was hosted at Kolkata’s historic Red Road, which once served as a fighter aircraft strip during the World War II.Calling Bengal the land of saints like Ramakrishna Paramhansa and Swami Vivekananda who introduced yoga to the entire world, the Prime Minister said being in Bengal on the occasion of Yoga Day was special.Referring to the theme, “Yoga for Healthy Ageing”, Modi said: “It means that we can work to ensure that age does not reduce human potential. Yoga can help human life to aspire for constant growth.”“Our target must be to be more flexible at 40 than we were at 20. Our target must be to be more energetic at 50 than we were at 30. Our target must be to be more resistant to lifestyle diseases at 70 than we were at 50. It keeps our energy levels high, it also helps us maintain a calm, stress-free life and helps keep lifestyle diseases away,” Modi said.Modi further said that under the ‘Yoga 365’ initiative, a 100-day online yoga programme was organised, which saw more than 3 million people participating from 130 countries.Meanwhile, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh celebrated Yoga Day with around 1,000 soldiers of the Indian Air Force and the Indian Army at the Eastern Air Command Headquarters in Shillong, Meghalaya.Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma, Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal AP Singh, Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Air Command Air Marshal Inderpal Singh Walia, and General Officer Commanding of Headquarters 101 Area Lieutenant General Mohit Wadhwa also performed yoga, along with the Minister.Union Health Minister JP Nadda stated that yoga was not merely a form of physical exercise but a way of life that nurtures a deeper connection between the individual and the universal consciousness.“Yoga enables us to achieve balance between the mind, body and soul. It is a continuous and lifelong practice that guides individuals towards self-improvement, inner peace and holistic well-being,” he said.