High Commissioner Nagesh Singh opened Australia’s 12th International Day of Yoga at Old Parliament House in Canberra on June 21, 2026, with a one-hour session led by Yoga Australia chief executive Josh Pryor. From there the day spread across the country.
Singh told the crowd that the word yoga comes from the Sanskrit yuj, “to unite” or “to join”, meaning the union of body, mind and spirit. “True well-being comes from harmony within ourselves and with the world around us,” he said. He called yoga “not just exercise but a way of life that nurtures both body and mind”, and asked attendees to recommit to “harmony, inclusiveness, sustainability, and respect for all life.”
Melbourne and the other cities
In Melbourne, the Consulate General of India hosted an event at Albert Park Lake and brought the community together around this year’s theme of healthy ageing.
On the Gold Coast, Consul General Neetu M. Bhagotia led a program with GOPIO Gold Coast that added meditation and sound healing to the yoga. Federal MP Angie Bell and Queensland minister Hermann Vorster attended as chief guests.
In Adelaide, the Consulate General of India in Sydney worked with the Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre (ICCR) Sydney, India’s Ministry of AYUSH and the Indian Australian Association of South Australia. Their community session, “Gentle Yoga for Pain-Free Living”, ran at the IAASA Hall and concentrated on relaxation, ease of movement and everyday wellness.
Western Australia and Northern Territory
The Consulate General of India in Perth organised celebrations with community partners in Perth, regional cities including Geraldton, Karratha and Bunbury, and across the Northern Territory. Consul Naresh Kumar, Head of Chancery, represented the consulate. “In our diverse and vibrant community here in Western Australia, yoga continues to unite people across cultures and generations,” he said.
The exchange ran both ways. Australia’s High Commissioner to India, Philip Green OAM, shared a video from New Delhi of Australian diplomatic missions joining Yoga Day events in New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata and Bengaluru. Green said yoga connects people across borders and cultures.
The United Nations General Assembly set June 21 as the International Day of Yoga in a December 2014 resolution, after a proposal from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
