Bengaluru, 16 June

The 11th International Yoga Day celebrations will be held across Karnataka on 21 June, with a major event at Vidhana Soudha, which will be inaugurated by Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot.

According to Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao, the event will witness the participation of 3,000 yoga enthusiasts in accordance with the yoga protocol prescribed by the Central government.

The programme will be conducted from 6am to 8am. Parallel events will be organised at district and taluk centres.

Yoga Sangam will be organised with the collaboration of several organisations, yoga groups and civil society groups.

A 45-minute common yoga protocol demonstration recommended by the AYUSH Ministry will also be part of the event.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, his deputy D K Shivakumar, ministers, along with members of Parliament, members of the State Legislative Assembly and Council, and prominent yoga gurus from Karnataka will participate at Vidhana Soudha.

According to Rao, additionally, 300 Ayushman Health and Wellness Centres in rural areas will also host the event.

"A special 100-day countdown campaign to International Yoga Day is already underway. The Department of AYUSH, Government of Karnataka, has begun organising several innovative programmes, including 11 national-level yoga competitions in collaboration with the Government Ayurveda Research Centre in Mysuru," he said.

The Yoga Mahakumbh will be held at the Mysore Palace grounds on 21 June, with an estimated participation of 15,000 people.

On the International Yoga Day, Yoga Sangam event will be held at 30 district centres, with a minimum of 5,000 participants at each location.

The Government of India has resolved to organise Yoga Sangam in one lakh locations, with Karnataka planning for about 10,000 such programmes.