Ashadha Shukla 6 Vik. Samvat 2082, Yugabda 5127 : 1 July, 2025: SM 7007 (For Private Circulation only)
1. FESTIVALS :
GURU PURNIMA: Guru Purnima is the festival dedicated to offering respect to
all the spiritual and academic gurus.
The Bhagwa Dhwaj, is considered Guru by Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. Every year
on the day of Vyasa Purnima, RSS swayamsevaks worship the Bhagwa Dhwaj. -GoTop
2. PROGRAMS OF RSS SARSANGHCHALAK DR MOHAN BHAGWAT: RSS
Sarsanghchalak Dr Mohan Bhagwat, on June 18, said that because of the Hindu
culture, Bharat has been a Hindu nation since ancient times. He was addressing
the valedictory program of Karyakarta Vikas Varg Pratham at Hamirpur, Himachal
Pradesh. Dr Bhagwat told swayamsevaks that in the centenary year of the Sangh,
every volunteer should approach the society on the topics of Panch Parivartan -
social harmony, family values, environment, civic duty and expression of
selfhood.
On June 10 while addressing Sangh Shiksha Varg’s concluding gathering at Kanpur,
Dr Bhagwat urged to reduce dependence on foreign goods and use swadeshi products
instead. -GoTop
3. 50 YEARS OF EMERGENCY: On June 26, RSS Sarkaryavah
Dattatreya Hosabale said, “During the Emergency, two words ‘Secular’ and
‘Socialist’ were added to the Constitution. At that time the country had no
functioning Parliament, no rights, no judiciary and yet these two words were
added. That is why this matter must be discussed.” He was addressing an event
organised by the news agency Hindusthan Samachar on the 50 years of Emergency in
New Delhi.
4. BOOK DISCUSSION ON ‘ INTEGRAL HUMANISM: A DISTINCT
PARADIGM OF DEVELOPMENT’: On June 24, while speaking at a book discussion
‘Integral Humanism: A Distinct Paradigm of Development’ by Ashok Modak,
published by the Indian Council of Social Science Research, RSS Sarkaryavah
Dattatreya Hosabale said, “A market-based life is damaging the society.
E-commerce is a glaring example. It has reduced relationships to mere
transactions.” Referring to Modak’s book, Hosabale said, “The western world view
revolves around individual rights, survival of the fittest and exploitation of
nature. But we discuss a different approach, one based on compassion, concern
and compatibility. A human being is part of society, and society cannot exist
without nature.” Minister of Higher and Technical education Chandrakant Patil
was the Guest of Honour of the event. -GoTop
5. RSS AKHIL BHARATIYA PRANT PRACHARAK BAITHAK 2025:
Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh’s (RSS) annual national level Prant Pracharak
baithak is scheduled to be held in Delhi on July 4 - 6 at ‘Keshav Kunj’ RSS
office building. All prant pracharaks, sah prant pracharaks, kshetra pracharaks
and sah kshetra pracharaks will be attending this meeting. As per RSS
organisational structure there are 11 kshetras and 46 prants. Akhil Bharatiya
Sangathan Mantris of some RSS inspired organisations will also be attending this
meeting. Agenda for this meeting will mainly include report and review of the
recently concluded RSS training camps and execution details of upcoming yearlong
RSS centenary year programmes.
6. PM MODI CONFERRED WITH CYPRUS' HIGHEST CIVILIAN HONOUR:
On June 16, Pradhan Mantri Narendra Modi was conferred with the Grand Cross
of the Order of Makarios III of Cyprus, the country's highest civilian honour.
Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides conferred the award on PM Modi. The Order
of Makarios III, named after the first President of Cyprus, Archbishop Makarios
III, is the senior order of knighthood awarded by the country .
According to available records, in recognition of his visionary leadership, PM
Modi has been honoured with 28 highest state awards from foreign nations between
2016 and 2025, making him the most internationally decorated Bharatiya leader in
history. -GoTop
7. CROATIA WELCOMED PM MODI WITH GAYATRI MANTRA RECITAL:
Pradhan Mantri Narendra Modi arrived in Croatia on June 25, becoming the first
Bharatiya Pradhan Mantri to visit the country. He was received with a ceremonial
welcome by Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković in Zagreb, where a group of
Croatian citizens greeted him by chanting the Gayatri Mantra including ‘Bharat
Mata Ki Jai’ and performing a classical Bharatiya dance.
Bharatiya diaspora in Croatia has made notable contributions to the country’s
progress, while continuing to maintain strong cultural and emotional ties with
Bharat. Modi’s visit marks a significant step in deepening Bharat’s political
and economic engagement with Croatia. -GoTop
8. OPERATION SINDHU: 3,597 BHARATIYAS EVACUATED FROM IRAN:
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), in a press release issued on June
27, announced the successful completion of Operation Sindhu—a major evacuation
effort launched by the Government of Bharat to bring back its nationals from
conflict-affected regions in Iran and Israel. The operation, which commenced on
June 18, was undertaken in response to the escalating security situation in West
Asia.
9. INTERNATIONAL DAY OF YOGA (IDY) 2025: From New York
to Tokyo, people across the globe united on June 21 to mark the 11th
International Day of Yoga with the theme of 'Yoga for One Earth, One Health.'
In Tokyo more than 2000 people participated in IDY including Japanese
Prime Minister’s spouse and the spouse of the country's foreign minister.
Hundreds gathered at the famous Strand square in London to participate in
an IDY event. In a message from Buckingham Palace, the King said, “The theme of
this year's day, Yoga for One Earth, One Health, reminds us how vitally
important it is that the world comes together to secure a happy and healthy
future for present and future generations.”
Malaysia celebrated the day at the iconic Batu Caves Complex in Kuala
Lumpur. About 1200 yoga enthusiasts attended the event.
At the UN headquarters over 1,200 yoga practitioners, UN officials,
members of the diplomatic corps and other participated in event on June 20.
In Australia, IDY event was held at the heritage building of the old
Parliament House in Canberra and joined by senior officials from the Department
of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the diplomatic corps, and vibrant Bharatiya and
Australian communities.
In Sri Lanka, the event at the Independence Square in Colombo was
attended by over a thousand people, including ministers, elected leaders,
cricketing legends and cultural icons.
In Port Louis, Mauritius, PM Navinchandra Ramgoolam narrated how PM Modi,
during his recent visit, took personal interest in inspiring both him and his
wife Veena Ramgoolam to learn yoga, including by arranging qualified teachers.
The Amrita Sher-Gil Cultural Centre, Embassy of Bharat in Budapest,
hosted IDY at the Dr. Koltai Jenő Sportközpont, Hungarian University of Sports
Science. The event was one of the biggest public gatherings of Yoga.
In Nepal, more than 7000 yoga enthusiasts practised yoga together in Pokhara.
IDY was also organised at Maya Devi Mandir in Lumbini, UNESCO Heritage sites in
Kathmandu Valley and other iconic locations including Birganj.
Similar events were held in many other countries including Thailand, China,
Maldives, France, Lithuania, Czech Republic, Uganda, Germany, Indonesia, Latvia,
Egypt, Belgium, Finland, Spain, Italy, Oman, Philippines, and Kenya.
In December 2014, the draft UN General Assembly resolution establishing
International Day of Yoga was proposed by Bharat and endorsed by a record 175
member states. -GoTop
10. HSS INTERNATIONAL DAY OF YOGA 2025: HSS Taiwan
International Yoga Day: On the occasion of International Day of Yoga, HSS
Taiwan organized a series of yoga sessions on June 21, 2025, with active
participation from karyakartas across different regions. The day began with
a special online yoga session for karyakartas in Kaohsiung, conducted from 8:00
to 9:00 AM. Eighteen karyakartas gathered at Kaohsiung Metropolitan Park,
marking the first-ever in-person gathering with local karyakartas in that
region. Additionally, six swayamsevaks joined the session online, showing their
support and participation from other parts of Taiwan.
11. HSS JAPAN CLOTH RECYCLE DRIVE 2025: To contribute
to sustainable living, Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh HSS Japan organizes a Cloth
Recycle Drive every year in association with local NPOs and Ward Offices who
have been contributing relief clothing to the needy and refugees in Southeast
Asian countries and other places around the world.
The drive collected approximately 1650 KG of clothes collectively from all
shakhas. In this drive, karyakartas ensured that the collected clothes were in
usable condition. The collected clothes were handed over to the appropriate
municipal facility for further distribution or recycling.
The community members also appreciated the swayamsevaks for their disciplined
and dedicated execution throughout the drive.
With this year’s cloth recycling drive, till now HSS Japan collected a total of
10,170 KG of clothes and handed them over to those in need. -GoTop
12. SEWA EXTENDED REHABILITATION SUPPORT IN J&K: Sewa
International, in collaboration with Sewa Bharti Jammu & Kashmir, extended
crucial rehabilitation support to families in Uri and Baramulla - an area deeply
affected by cross-border shelling.
13. ABVP ODISHA ORGANISES ‘JANAJATI CHHATRA ADHYAYAN
ANUBHAV YATRA’: The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), Odisha (Purv)
Prant, organised a four-day educational and experiential journey titled
‘Janajati Chhatra Adhyayan Anubhav Yatra’ from June 17 to June 20 in Bhubaneswar.
81 tribal students from 15 districts across Odisha participated in the yatra,
making it a vibrant and inclusive event.
The programme was graced by several notable personalities, including Pramod Raut,
ABVP’s Akhil Bharatiya Janajatiya Chhatra Karya Pramukh. -GoTop
14. CENTENARY CELEBRATION OF THE HISTORIC 1925 MEETING
BETWEEN SREE NARAYANA GURU AND MAHATMA GANDHI: On June 24, Sree Narayana
Dharma Sanghom Trust organised the centenary celebration of the historic
conversation between Sree Narayana Gurudev and Mahatma Gandhi.
PM Narendra Modi and other dignitaries performed ‘guru smarna’ at the centenary
celebration of the historic conversation between Sree Narayana Guru and Mahatma
Gandhi in New Delhi.
The historic conversation took place at Sivagiri Mutt on March 12, 1925 during
Mahatma Gandhi’s visit and centred around Vaikom Satyagraha, religious
conversions, non-violence, abolition of untouchability, attainment of salvation,
and the uplift of the downtrodden, among others. -GoTop
15. 4TH AKHIL MAHARASHTRA PANDHARPUR CYCLE WARI SAMMELAN –
2025: The 4th Akhil Maharashtra Pandharpur Cycle Wari Sammelan – 2025 was
celebrated with immense fervor, setting a new record for the largest cycling
gathering in Bharat on June 22. This mega ‘Fit India Sundays on Cycle’ event was
a joint initiative by the Sports Authority of India, Regional Centre – Mumbai,
and the Pandharpur Cycle Wari Sangh.
16. FIRST BHARATIYA ARRIVES AT THE ISS: Astronaut
Shubhanshu Shukla has created history by becoming the first Bharatiya ever to
set foot on the International Space Station (ISS). Led by former NASA veteran
Peggy Whitson and piloted by Group Captain Shukla, Ax-4 lifted off on June 25.
The crew, including Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski from Poland and Tibor Kapu from
Hungary, will spend two weeks on the ISS. During their two-week mission, the
crew would spend most of their time conducting 60 scientific experiments,
including seven designed by Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
Rashtrapati Droupadi Murmu in a social media post said, “As Group Captain
Shubhanshu Shukla creates a new milestone in space for Bharat, the whole nation
is excited and proud of an Indian’s journey into the stars. He and his fellow
astronauts of Axiom Mission 4 from the US, Poland and Hungary prove the world is
indeed one family — Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam.” Welcoming the launch, Pradhan Mantri
Modi said astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla carries with him the wishes, hopes and
aspirations of 140 crore Bharatiyas. -GoTop
17. BHARATIYA ORIGIN ENGINEER NAMED MIT PROVOST: Prof
Anantha Chandrakasan has been named Massachusetts Institute of Technology's new
provost, the first Bharatiya-American to serve in this leadership role.
Chennai-born Chandrakasan, who is MIT's chief innovation and strategy officer
and Dean of Engineering, begins his new role from July 1. MIT President Sally
Kornbluth, while making the announcement, said that Chandrakasan was chosen from
a group of outstanding internal candidates and brings to this post an
exceptional record of shaping and leading important innovations for the
Institute.
Chandrakasan earned his BS, MS, and PhD in electrical engineering and computer
sciences from the University of California at Berkeley. After joining the MIT
faculty, he was director of the Microsystems Technology Laboratories (MTL) from
2006 until he became the head of EECS in 2011. -GoTop
18. IIT DELHI RANKS 123 AS 54 INSTITUTES SHINE IN QS WORLD
UNIVERSITY RANKINGS 2026: In a major boost for Bharatiya higher education,
five Bharatiya institutions made it into the world’s top 100 for Employer
Reputation in the QS World University Rankings 2026. Additionally, eight
Bharatiya universities ranked among the global top 100 for Citations per
Faculty, boasting an average score of 43.7 - surpassing Germany, the UK, and the
US in this metric.
IIT Madras made a remarkable leap, rising 47 places to 180th from 227 the
previous year.
With 54 universities featured in this year’s QS rankings, Bharat ranks as the
fourth most represented country worldwide, behind the United States, the United
Kingdom, and Mainland China. Eight Bharatiya institutions made their debut on
the list—the highest number of new entries from any country—highlighting
Bharat’s rising academic prominence. -GoTop
19. SHRI VISHWA NIKETAN: Pravas: Visitors: FOOD FOR
THGOUTH: Only two kinds of people can attain self-knowledge those who are not
encumbered at all with learning whose minds are not over-crowded with thoughts
borrowed from others; and those who, after studying scriptures and science, have
come to realise that they know nothing. – Ramakrishna Paramhans -GoTop
JAI SHRI RAM
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INDIA’S QUIET POWER: HOW YOGA BECAME THE WORLD’S BREATH OF UNITY
From UN halls to public parks across
continents, yoga has become more than exercise; it’s a shared language of breath
and balance. And in a fractured world, that quiet connection may be India’s most
revolutionary contribution yet
Chaitanya K Prasad
In a world constantly jostling for
attention, through missiles, money, and media, India has managed to slip
something quietly into the global bloodstream: yoga. Not just the
stretch-on-a-mat version that floods Instagram, but the real thing, an ancient,
rooted philosophy that has slowly become one of the most persuasive tools of
soft power diplomacy in the 21st century. It’s not flashy, it doesn’t demand
loyalty, but it lingers; and that’s where its magic lies.
For the past 10 years, yoga’s rise has been deliberate, strategic, and honestly,
quite beautiful to watch. The turning point came in 2014 when Prime Minister
Narendra Modi proposed the idea of an International Day of Yoga at the United
Nations.
In 2024, that symbolic circle came full with PM Modi leading the Yoga Day
celebrations at the UN Headquarters in New York, in the very halls where he had
first proposed it.
Over 180 nationalities came together in a collective breath, a rare moment of
unity in a fragmented global order. American singer Mary Millben’s soulful
rendition of India’s national anthem at the event added a layer of cultural
grace that moved many to tears.
It wasn’t just a diplomatic spectacle; it was a deeply human moment, where art,
breath, and belief converged into something much larger than protocol. In that
gathering of movement and stillness, India didn’t just host the world, it held
it.
Since then, June 21 has transformed from a cultural celebration into something
much deeper, a show of presence, not power; of balance, not bluster. And that’s
what makes yoga such an exceptional soft power tool.
It doesn’t yell, it invites. It doesn’t push a product; it offers a practice.
While other cultural exports often come dressed in capitalism or carry subtle
imperial agendas, yoga feels clean, disarming even. Its strength lies in its
quietness.
From New York to Nairobi, Tokyo to Toronto, the sight of thousands moving
together in breath and stillness is not just aesthetic, it’s symbolic. In a time
where nations scream over each other, yoga listens, and people respond.
Back home, the Ministry of Ayush has played a crucial role in deepening this
influence. From local wellness programs and school modules to international MOUs
and yoga certification frameworks, the past two decades have seen real,
measurable investment in making yoga accessible, authentic, and global. This
isn’t just branding, it’s cultural stewardship, and it matters. Because when a
country not only preserves but exports its deepest values, and does so with
humility, it earns something far more valuable than visibility; it earns trust.
This year, the International Day of Yoga 2025 campaign is themed ‘Yoga for One
Earth, One Health’, a line that captures, in five words, everything the world is
craving: connection, sustainability, healing.
After years of pandemic panic, mental health breakdowns, and climate anxiety,
the idea that the health of our bodies is directly tied to the health of our
planet doesn’t feel like a philosophy anymore; it feels like a necessity.
Ayush’s campaigns this year reflect that urgency. Over 30,000 organisations are
joining the ‘Yoga Sangam’, turning parks, schoolyards, hospitals, and railway
platforms into yoga grounds.
These aren’t token events; they’re public declarations that India’s contribution
to global peace and wellbeing will not be transactional, it will be
transformative.
And then there’s YogAndhra 2025, one of the most ambitious state campaigns we’ve
seen in years. Two crore people, a month-long activation, a mass event along the
Visakhapatnam coastline; it’s massive, and honestly, deeply moving.
Not because of the numbers, but because of what they represent: ordinary people
coming together, voluntarily, in a moment of pause.
That’s the real diplomacy, not the flags, not the official handshakes. Just
breath, stillness, surrender; and in that shared silence, India speaks louder
than any press release ever could.
What makes all of this even more powerful is the tenor of yoga itself. It’s not
ornamental, it’s foundational. Yoga doesn’t demand performance, it demands
presence.
And in a hyper-digitised, algorithm-driven world, that’s revolutionary. Yoga has
no nation, but it does have an origin; and every time someone anywhere rolls out
a mat and begins their practice, they are, whether they know it or not, engaging
with India, not politically, but spiritually and philosophically. That’s legacy,
and that’s how soft power works.
Health diplomacy is another layer in this story that often gets overlooked. In a
time when the world is buckling under non-communicable diseases, burnout, and
post-pandemic trauma, India’s offering isn’t just ancient, it’s relevant.
Yoga is preventive and sustainable; it teaches you to listen to your body,
manage your mind, and regulate your breath.
That’s public health without a prescription. It’s affordable, scalable, and
deeply human. The fact that international bodies like the WHO are now aligning
with Ayush to explore integrative health models is no coincidence; it’s
recognition.
Yoga isn’t about flexibility; it’s about balance. It’s not about how you look,
it’s about how you feel. It doesn’t sell transformation in 21 days; it teaches
you to surrender to slow, patient evolution.
When someone in Buenos Aires Berlin or Bengaluru sits in silence, they’re not
just accessing a wellness tool; they’re entering a cultural portal, one that
leads, always, back to India.
And that’s what makes yoga such a rare diplomatic asset. It doesn’t just
generate influence; it generates affection. It’s not transactional. It’s not
about lobbying.
It’s about resonance, and resonance lasts. India, through yoga, is not trying to
dominate global narratives. It’s anchoring them, centring them, reminding the
world that wellness, at its core, is not a luxury; it’s a right. And that
stillness, in a fractured, frantic world, is not weakness; it’s power.
So as India gears up for another powerful edition of IDY, it’s not just about
the scale of participation or the number of countries involved. It’s about what
yoga continues to signify: that even in a global order shaped by conflict,
chaos, and competition, there is space, sacred, silent, strong; for something
slower, deeper, and more human. Yoga isn’t just India’s cultural gift; it’s its
geopolitical signature. Not loud, but lasting.
And maybe that’s the whole point. In a world obsessed with speed and spectacle,
yoga reminds us that the real revolution begins when we learn to just stop,
breathe, and listen; to ourselves, and each other. (The writer is former
Civil Servant. Views are personal. Inputs provided by Zoya Ahmad & Vaishnavie
Srinivasan)
https://www.dailypioneer.com/2025/columnists/india---s-quiet-power--how-yoga-became-the-world---s-breath-of-unity.html
-GoTop
SHRI VISHWA NIKETAN samvadnewsletter@gmail.com http://shrivishwaniketan.
