Lucknow: In a significant step towards celebrating International Yoga Day 2025 with renewed zeal and innovation, Uttar Pradesh Governor and Chancellor of State Universities, Anandiben Patel, chaired a high-level virtual meeting today with the vice-chancellors and senior officials of all state universities to review preparations.
The Governor emphasized this year’s Yoga Day theme: “Yoga for One Earth, One Health”, highlighting its relevance to the spirit of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (the world is one family) and its call to make yoga an integral part of human lifestyle.
Smt. Patel instructed that yoga programmes to be held between June 1 and June 21, 2025, must be extraordinary, creative, and a symbol of collective effort. She proposed integrating yoga with cleanliness and music, and compiling these activities in a documented book for future reference.
She directed the newly established Sports University to engage children from Anganwadis and primary schools, along with university students, in yoga-linked sports activities to broaden participation and interest.
The Governor further encouraged bicycle rallies and foot marches to generate awareness. She urged universities to have teachers, female staff, and nursing personnel perform yoga in uniform at public spaces to serve as inspirational examples, and also involve corporate stakeholders.
Calling for a holistic lifestyle approach, Patel stressed that yoga should not be restricted to physical exercise but be linked with nutritious and balanced diets. She stated, “International Yoga Day is no longer just a symbolic event; it has evolved into a global movement that promotes a healthy lifestyle, mental well-being, social harmony, and environmental consciousness.”
Universities were asked to actively implement the 10 key activities outlined by the Ministry of AYUSH, ensure mass yoga demonstrations on June 21 at all university campuses and affiliated colleges, and collaborate with foreign universities for international yoga sessions. She recommended establishing permanent yoga spaces in all campuses.
Special inclusive sessions should be held for persons with disabilities, elderly citizens, children, and students with special needs. Research papers on the social and physical impacts of yoga were also encouraged.
The Governor called for hosting summits and workshops with yoga experts, policymakers, and health professionals, and combining yoga with environmental initiatives like plantation drives and cleanliness campaigns. To engage the youth, she proposed innovative digital campaigns, and research on integrating yoga with medical education.
Highlighting the need for grassroots implementation, Smt. Patel asked universities to organize regular yoga activities even at affiliated colleges and inter-colleges to inculcate healthy habits from an early age.
She praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for promoting yoga on the global stage and acknowledged the growing acceptance of yoga and Ayurveda internationally. She urged all vice-chancellors to treat this campaign as a team mission, ensuring unprecedented success at the university level.
In a novel directive, the Governor asked that all university employees, including teaching and non-teaching staff, gardeners, engineers, and contractual workers, undergo BMI (Body Mass Index) tests to identify health concerns. Post-yoga day, the same test should be conducted again within 2-3 months to measure improvement.
She also proposed that university health centers be extended to surrounding villages, and universities formulate a concrete plan for community healthcare outreach.
To set global benchmarks, she urged universities to design 10 record-breaking activities, each to be held simultaneously across all institutions, and ensure prior rehearsal, target-setting, and documentation.
In a special appeal, the Governor emphasized the importance of ‘Garbha Sanskar’ (prenatal care). Universities were asked to select at least 10 women in early pregnancy (2–3 months) and conduct a structured nine-month wellness programme focusing on diet, family support, communication, positivity, and balanced yoga.
She also recommended hosting “Green Exhibitions” to show how trees and plants benefit human society — be it through environment, food, medicine, or health. Agriculture universities were requested to guide this effort and prepare a reference document on the medicinal use of local flora.
The meeting was attended by Additional Chief Secretary to the Governor Dr. Sudhir Mahadev Bobde, Special Secretary Shri Shriprakash Gupta, along with other officers from Raj Bhavan and all vice-chancellors and registrars of state universities connected virtually.
