Yoga For Healthy Ageing Adding Life To Years

FOR AGES, Bharat’s unique distinction has been its noble vision of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ — of seeing the entire world as a single entity and all living beings as one. Rooted in the spiritual wisdom of Bharat, yoga is an ancient discipline that harmonises body, mind, and spirit. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while addressing the United Nations General Assembly on September 27, 2014, said yoga embodies unity of mind and body, thought and action, restraint and fulfilment, harmony between man and nature, and is a holistic approach to health and well-being. At the behest of the Prime Minister, the United Nations General Assembly on December 11, 2014, approved the proposal, co-sponsored by a record 174 countries, to declare June 21 as the International Day of Yoga. Since 2015, millions of people around the world have been gathering in public spaces to practice yoga together — transforming our ancient wisdom into a global movement. On June 21 this year, as the Prime Minister leads Yoga Day in Kolkata, I am visiting Ladakh for the celebrations. For many years, I have experienced the benefits of practising yoga and panchakarma, which are often hailed as ‘sister sciences’. It is these deeply enriching personal experiences that have inspired me to pen down my reflections on yoga and its profound impact on human well-being. A timeless legacy of Bharat ‘Yoga’, a timeless practice for physical, mental, and spiritual well-being, is believed to have started with the very dawn of our civilisation. In the yogic lore, Lord Shiva is seen as the first yogi or Adi Yogi, and the first Guru or Adi Guru, while Maharishi Patanjali is hailed as the father of classical yoga for systematising its principles in the Yoga Sutras. Maharishi Patanjali shares a deep spiritual association with Tamil Nadu. His physical Jeeva Samadhi is also believed to be located in Thirupattur. Our revered rishis and munis gifted the world the invaluable treasure of yoga. Through years of meditation, austerity, and spiritual inquiry, they developed a holistic system that unites the body, mind, and soul. This year’s theme for International Yoga Day, ‘Yoga for Healthy Ageing’, holds special significance. Remarkable advances in healthcare, public health systems, and declining mortality rates have increased life expectancy across nations. The India Ageing Report 2023, released by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), states that by 2050, nearly one in five Indians will be above the age of 60. While we celebrate this invaluable gift of longevity, it simultaneously places upon society a solemn responsibility of ensuring that added years to life also mean added life to years. I believe that now the pressing need of the hour is to initiate people into yoga at an early age. The earlier one begins the practice of yoga, the greater the cumulative benefits throughout life. I am pleased to note that the National Education Policy 2020 accords yoga a significant place as an integral component of health, wellness, and value-based education. This is a positive step in the direction of initiating the young into yoga. Solution for modern-day ageing Academic and clinical interest in the therapeutic dimensions of yoga has grown exponentially in recent years. Premier institutions such as the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Harvard Medical School, and several peer-reviewed journals, such as Lancet, through their studies, have demonstrated that regular yoga practice safely improves balance, flexibility, and mobility among senior citizens, thereby significantly reducing the fear and risk of falls. Research has also shown measurable benefits of yoga in improving bone density, alleviating arthritic pain, enhancing respiratory efficiency, stabilising blood pressure, and supporting mental well-being. Equally important, meditative and breathing practices have been found to improve sleep quality, emotional resilience, and cognitive functioning among the elderly. But I would like to emphasise that the true strength of yoga lies in its holistic nature. Beyond physical rehabilitation, yoga nurtures emotional balance and social connectedness. I have witnessed that one of the deepest challenges of ageing today is the growing sense of isolation experienced by many seniors. Yoga gently transforms this inward loneliness into a broader sense of collective belonging. Importantly, as per my own experiences, ‘Yoga For Healthy Ageing’ does not demand strenuous physical exertion. Classical yogic practices have been thoughtfully adapted into gentle and accessible protocols suitable for senior citizens. At the same time, yoga also serves as a source of resilience for caregivers and family members who shoulder the emotional and physical demands of elderly care. More than 2,000 years ago, scholar and Tamil saint Thiruvalluvar advocated a personalised approach to health through the Kural (949), “Consider the patient's condition, the nature of the disease, and the proper time before undertaking treatment.” This timeless wisdom mirrors the modern principles of Yoga for Healthy Ageing, where practices are carefully adapted to an individual's age, health, and needs, enabling people to enjoy a healthier, more active, and more dignified life in their later years. As we observe the International Day of Yoga 2026, I urge every citizen, educational institution, civil society organisation, healthcare professional, and community leader to embrace yoga not merely as an occasional exercise, but as a lifelong cultural and wellness practice. The writer is Vice-President of India