Visakhapatnam kicks off month-long YogAndhra campaign ahead of International Yoga Day

The month-long YogAndhra Campaign was officially launched at RK Beach in Visakhapatnam on the morning of 21 May 2025 by District Collector M N Harendhira Prasad. The curtain-raiser saw an enthusiastic turnout from residents, marking the countdown to International Yoga Day on 21 June.

Collector Prasad shared that Visakhapatnam is gearing up for a historic celebration, with plans for a grand-scale event to be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, along with the Governor, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, Deputy Chief Minister, other ministers, and key officials. The celebrations will span from RK Beach through Bheemunipatnam and Bhogapuram in Vizianagaramm, reaching up to Srikakulam, with an estimated two crore participants across Andhra Pradesh—including five lakh from North Andhra alone.

To prepare for this large-scale initiative, the district has scheduled intensive training programmes from 21 to 27 May. These include district-level Training of Trainers (ToTs), mandal-level masterclasses, and sessions at the village and ward levels. Demonstrations at key locations will take place from 16 to 21 June. Additionally, the campaign features competitions, certificate courses through the National Institute of Yoga, and inclusive sessions like aqua yoga and yoga for the visually impaired.

Multiple departments including General Administration, Education, Tourism, IT, and Sports are collaborating on the campaign. A dedicated website and mobile app for participant registration will be launched shortly.

Among those present at the launch of the YogAndhra campaign in Visakhapatnam were Mayor Peela Srinivasa Rao, Government Whips Vepada Chiranjeevi Rao and PGVR Naidu (Ganababu), and Commissioner of Police Shankabratha Bagchi.

Later that day, Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu unveiled the YogAndhra 2025 campaign from his residence in Amaravati, describing it as a transformative movement to integrate yoga and meditation into daily life. He emphasized that the initiative is not merely symbolic but aims to spark a genuine lifestyle shift across the state.

Highlighting the event, Naidu noted that over five lakh people would perform yoga between 7 am and 8 am, stretching from Vizag’s RK Beach to Bhogapuram in Vizianagaram district. Statewide, the goal is to engage at least two crore people.

“We intend to train 10 lakh individuals in yoga and provide official certification. Holding such a large-scale session by the sea is rare and will be remembered for years,” he said

Chandrababu Naidu also credited Prime Minister Modi for reviving global interest in yoga. “Yoga, a vital part of our ancient heritage, has now found its rightful global platform thanks to the Prime Minister’s efforts. Though historical disruptions affected its continuity, the world is once again turning to India for wellness and balance.”

Stay tuned to Yo! Vizag website and Instagram for more city-related news.