VIJAYAWADA: The State government’s month-long Yogandhra campaign, launched to promote yoga awareness and participation, has received an overwhelming public response. Within the first 10 days of its launch on May 21, over 1.13 crore people registered to participate, exceeding the targeted registrations for the period by more than 162%.
Special Chief Secretary and State Nodal Officer for Yogandhra, MT Krishna Babu, reported the milestone to the State Ministers Committee on Friday night. The campaign, launched in the lead-up to International Day of Yoga on June 21, aims to achieve 2 crore registrations Statewide. “The official target for registrations between May 21 and May 30 was 69.92 lakh, but the actual turnout far exceeded expectations with 1,13,47,935 people signing up,” Krishna Babu said. He added that Master Trainer registrations reached 408% of the target, while Trainer registrations stood at 113%, indicating strong grassroots enthusiasm and effective coordination by district administrations.
Yoga awareness activities are being conducted at an unprecedented scale across all districts, including in schools, colleges, community centres, and public spaces. The drive continues to gain momentum as the State prepares to host the main event on June 21, which will be attended by PM Narendra Modi. The International Day of Yoga celebration is scheduled along the scenic coastal stretch from RK Beach to Bhimili in Visakhapatnam, where lakhs of participants are expected to perform yoga together.
Officials say the surge in participation reflects growing awareness of yoga’s physical and mental health benefits. At the current pace, the State is expected to surpass its two-crore participation target well ahead of schedule, positioning AP as a frontrunner in yoga promotion nationwide.