International Yoga Day celebrations drew large participation across Annamayya, Sri Sathya Sai, and Chittoor districts on Sunday, with officials, people’s representatives, students, and locals taking part in the Yogandhra programmes aimed at making yoga a sustained public health initiative.

In Madanapalle, Annamayya District Collector Nishant Kumar launched the celebrations at the Mission Compound Grounds. He said that the government’s objective was to ensure yoga becomes a part of everyday life rather than being an annual routine. More than 2,000 people participated in the event, which included cultural performances by school students and a one-hour yoga session led by yoga experts from Bengaluru.

Mr. Nishant Kumar said more than 3.10 lakh residents had registered for yoga practice in the district. He appealed to the participants to encourage others to join the initiative. Highlighting yoga’s ageless glory and value in building physical endurance and mental balance, particularly among police personnel, the Collector said that it should be an integral part of every citizen’s life.

In Puttaparthi, Sri Sathya Sai District Collector A. Shyam Prasad observed that yoga practice did not require any expensive equipment or large spaces. He said that Yogandhra 2026 initiatives across the district drew good response from all sections of the public, indicating that yoga would soon become a household name. Superintendent of Police (SP) S. Satish Kumar said that yoga should become the buzzword among the police personnel.

In Chittoor, Joint Collector Adarsh Rajendran, Chittoor MLA Gurajala Jagan Mohan, and Puthalapattu MLA Kalikiri Murali Mohan launched the International Yoga Day event at PVKN Government Degree College grounds.

Mr. Rajendran said that the recent training camps, awareness programmes, and competitions had generated good public interest. The MLAs highlighted that yoga, walking, and healthy food habits could help people cope with stress and maintain well-being. Later, the Collector and the MLAs presented certificates to students who performed well in yoga competitions, while organisers and trainers were felicitated.