Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Yoga celebration at the UN headquarters created a Guinness World Record for the participation of people of most nationalities.

Currently on his inaugural state visit to the United States, at the gracious invitation of President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden, Prime Minister Modi presided over a momentous event commemorating the 9th International Yoga Day.

The gathering was graced by prominent UN officials, diplomats, and esteemed individuals. Prime Minister Modi, donned a personalized white yoga T-shirt and trousers and expressed his sincere gratitude to those who had traveled from far and wide to be a part of this joyous occasion.

"I am truly delighted to see each and every one of you here today. I extend my heartfelt thanks for your presence. It is my understanding that we have the privilege of having representation from almost every nation in this gathering," PM Modi addressed the assembled attendees. He also added, "Yoga comes from India, it is a very old tradition. Yoga is free of copyrights, patents, and royalty payments. Yoga is adaptable to your age, gender, and fitness level. Yoga is portable and is truly universal."

Joining him were Csaba Korisi, the President of the 77th session of the UN General Assembly, Amina Mohammed, the Deputy Secretary General, and Eric Adams, the Mayor of New York City.

In this special event, Prime Minister Modi, alongside dignitaries, celebrated the ancient practice of Yoga, fostering unity and harmony among people of diverse backgrounds. The occasion exemplified the significance of Yoga as a universal language that transcends borders and brings people together in the pursuit of well-being and spiritual growth.

Earlier during the day, the Yoga event held in Surat made a new Guinness World Record for the largest gathering of people participating in a yoga session at a single location. A staggering 1.53 lakh individuals joined the program, surpassing the previous record set in 2018 in Kota, Rajasthan, where 1,00,984 people had participated in a Yoga Day session at one place.