PM Joins Prashanti Kutiram Golden Jubilee in Bengaluru

Prime Minister Narendra Modi took part on 13 November 2026 in the golden jubilee celebrations of Prashanti Kutiram, the yoga campus of S-VYASA in Bengaluru, Karnataka. Greeting the gathering in Kannada, he called the fifty-year record of the institution an uncommon story of service that every citizen ought to know, and said an ordinary yoga centre had grown into a wide movement. Several new facilities on the campus were opened during the celebration.

A birth centenary alongside the jubilee

The same year marks the birth centenary of H. V. Seshadri, whose mission the Prime Minister described as nation building through character building. He recalled Seshadri simplicity and his habit of staying behind the scenes while preparing others for national service, and praised Dr H. R. Nagendra and Dr R. Nagarathna for carrying that work forward. He also remembered the Kannada film icon Dr Rajkumar among those who served yoga while belonging to the world of art, and spoke of Swami Vivekananda as a sage who showed the youth of India the path of yoga.

Yogasana as a competitive sport

The most examinable announcement in the address was that Yogasana is now recognised in India as a competitive sport and has been given a place in Khelo India and the National Games. That change opens tournament routes for practitioners. Abroad, Saudi Arabia has recognised yoga as a sporting activity and its sports ministry has signed an agreement with India Ministry of AYUSH. The Prime Minister said the International Day of Yoga is now observed across Australia, Africa and America, and that foreign nationals who promote yoga have been honoured with the Padma Shri.

Ayurveda and traditional medicine

He listed the steps taken for Ayurveda: a separate Ministry of AYUSH, support for research and for Ayurveda-based patents, and rising exports of AYUSH and herbal goods. More than 150 Ayurveda training courses have been recognised in other countries and memorandums for cooperation have been signed with 28 countries. A National Turmeric Board has been set up to strengthen the production, quality and export of turmeric. The e-AYUSH visa eases travel for foreign patients, while the WHO Global Traditional Medicine Centre at Jamnagar promotes research and international cooperation. Closing, the Prime Minister said 140 crore citizens are working for a Viksit Bharat, cited a World Bank finding that nearly 50 crore Indians left extreme poverty in about 12 to 13 years, and asked the institution to draw up a roadmap for its next goals.