Visakhapatnam Gears Up for Record-Breaking ‘Yogandhra’ with 5 Lakh Participants
In celebration of International Yoga Day on June 21, the Government of Andhra Pradesh is organizing a massive event under the title “Yogandhra” centered in Visakhapatnam, with the goal of setting new world records. According to M.T. Krishna Babu, the Yogandhra Nodal Officer and Special Chief Secretary for the Health Department, arrangements are being made for participation by as many as five lakh individuals. The event has gained even greater prominence with the anticipated attendance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The state government aims to surpass the Guinness World Record currently held by Surat for the largest yoga gathering and is also targeting a new record by conducting 108 Surya Namaskaras. M.T. Krishna Babu stated that Prime Minister Narendra Modi envisions spreading awareness about the importance of yoga to help citizens lead healthier and mentally stronger lives.
Acting on the instructions of the Chief Minister, the initiative has been executed in a campaign mode for a full month, from May 21 to June 21. Krishna Babu emphasized that the modern lifestyle has subjected many people to intense stress, and practices such as yoga, pranayama, and meditation are effective in combating this.
Record Participation and Training Programs
Krishna Babu reported a tremendous public response to the registration process, which began on May 24. So far, over 19 million individuals have expressed interest in participating in the Yogandhra event. To facilitate such large-scale involvement, approximately 3,000 master trainers have been prepared across the state in collaboration with the National Institute of Yoga and the Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga (Delhi). These master trainers, in turn, have trained about 1.5 lakh local trainers at the mandal level.
From June 3 to June 14, these local trainers conducted three-day training programs for various community groups—such as farmers, women, students, and youth—through the staff of village and ward secretariats and local volunteers.
Central Event in Visakhapatnam with Statewide Participation
The main event will be held in Visakhapatnam on June 21 from 7 a.m. to 8 a.m., Krishna Babu stated. Around 300,000 people are expected to perform yoga simultaneously along a 26-kilometer stretch of coastline from RK Beach to Bheemili, utilizing vacant spaces on both sides of the road. An additional 200,000 people will participate from 15 other locations within the city.
Concurrently, yoga sessions following the same protocol will be conducted across more than 100,000 locations throughout the state—including 53,000 school premises, 40,000 residential areas, village/ward secretariats, and mandal, constituency, and district-level centers. The state government aims to involve approximately 20 million people in total.
Details of each venue, including geo-coordinates, have been made available on the official website. Photos with time and date stamps from each venue will be uploaded on the day of the event.
Coordinated Arrangements and Central Support
Krishna Babu underscored the importance of coordination among various government departments. District Collectors are holding coordination meetings involving SERP, MEPMA, and the School Education Department, along with public and private sector employees, to promote participation.
Approximately 12,000 buses—3,500 from APSRTC and 8,500 private—will be deployed for public transportation. Around 12,000 volunteers, including NCC, NSS, and Vizag volunteers (at the rate of 10 per 1,000 participants), will be assigned to support the event. Attendance will be tracked through QR-code-based registration.
For security, about 6,000 police personnel will be deployed, and 30,000 government staff will assist with various logistical needs. The Union Ministry of AYUSH is overseeing the program and has supported it with financial aid and supplies, including five lakh T-shirts and five lakh yoga mats for the main event in Visakhapatnam.
Contingency Plans for Weather
Given that much of the event is planned along the coastline, the IT Department is scientifically monitoring sea conditions for June 21. According to current forecasts, the weather is expected to be dry that morning. Krishna Babu noted that even if there are light showers, the event will proceed as planned, citing past instances where the Prime Minister participated under similar conditions.
In the event of heavy rainfall, a contingency Plan-B is in place. A massive rainproof tent, built with German hangars, is being erected at the Andhra University Engineering College grounds to accommodate around 15,000 participants for an indoor session.
The state government aims to surpass the Guinness World Record currently held by Surat for the largest yoga gathering and is also targeting a new record by conducting 108 Surya Namaskaras. M.T. Krishna Babu stated that Prime Minister Narendra Modi envisions spreading awareness about the importance of yoga to help citizens lead healthier and mentally stronger lives.
Acting on the instructions of the Chief Minister, the initiative has been executed in a campaign mode for a full month, from May 21 to June 21. Krishna Babu emphasized that the modern lifestyle has subjected many people to intense stress, and practices such as yoga, pranayama, and meditation are effective in combating this.
Record Participation and Training Programs
Krishna Babu reported a tremendous public response to the registration process, which began on May 24. So far, over 19 million individuals have expressed interest in participating in the Yogandhra event. To facilitate such large-scale involvement, approximately 3,000 master trainers have been prepared across the state in collaboration with the National Institute of Yoga and the Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga (Delhi). These master trainers, in turn, have trained about 1.5 lakh local trainers at the mandal level.
From June 3 to June 14, these local trainers conducted three-day training programs for various community groups—such as farmers, women, students, and youth—through the staff of village and ward secretariats and local volunteers.
Central Event in Visakhapatnam with Statewide Participation
The main event will be held in Visakhapatnam on June 21 from 7 a.m. to 8 a.m., Krishna Babu stated. Around 300,000 people are expected to perform yoga simultaneously along a 26-kilometer stretch of coastline from RK Beach to Bheemili, utilizing vacant spaces on both sides of the road. An additional 200,000 people will participate from 15 other locations within the city.
Concurrently, yoga sessions following the same protocol will be conducted across more than 100,000 locations throughout the state—including 53,000 school premises, 40,000 residential areas, village/ward secretariats, and mandal, constituency, and district-level centers. The state government aims to involve approximately 20 million people in total.
Details of each venue, including geo-coordinates, have been made available on the official website. Photos with time and date stamps from each venue will be uploaded on the day of the event.
Coordinated Arrangements and Central Support
Krishna Babu underscored the importance of coordination among various government departments. District Collectors are holding coordination meetings involving SERP, MEPMA, and the School Education Department, along with public and private sector employees, to promote participation.
Approximately 12,000 buses—3,500 from APSRTC and 8,500 private—will be deployed for public transportation. Around 12,000 volunteers, including NCC, NSS, and Vizag volunteers (at the rate of 10 per 1,000 participants), will be assigned to support the event. Attendance will be tracked through QR-code-based registration.
For security, about 6,000 police personnel will be deployed, and 30,000 government staff will assist with various logistical needs. The Union Ministry of AYUSH is overseeing the program and has supported it with financial aid and supplies, including five lakh T-shirts and five lakh yoga mats for the main event in Visakhapatnam.
Contingency Plans for Weather
Given that much of the event is planned along the coastline, the IT Department is scientifically monitoring sea conditions for June 21. According to current forecasts, the weather is expected to be dry that morning. Krishna Babu noted that even if there are light showers, the event will proceed as planned, citing past instances where the Prime Minister participated under similar conditions.
In the event of heavy rainfall, a contingency Plan-B is in place. A massive rainproof tent, built with German hangars, is being erected at the Andhra University Engineering College grounds to accommodate around 15,000 participants for an indoor session.