Universal Door Meditation on June 21; Dr David Frawley and Consulate General of Houston. / Courtesy Photo

Houstonians gathered for the 11th International Day of Yoga, their mats forming patchwork quilts across parks and grounds, as the city embraced a day of wellness, community, and cultural connection.

More than 30 outdoor and indoor events took place across Houston this year to celebrate IDY 2025.

“I am so happy to witness participation in Houston Metro area,” said Sharad Amin, overall coordinator for IDY 2025 in the Houston Metro. “We are ready to organize grand International Day of Yoga at one place on June 21, 2026 where more than 1000 yogis and yoginis can participate.”

SVYASA Houston, a nonprofit dedicated to yoga education, provided certified instructors to organizations in need of teaching support.

“We have been preparing for IDY 2025 since last December,” said Vishwarupa N, Executive Director of SVYASA. “SVYASA organized many events in community centers and provided teachers for 15 plus events.”

Hindus of Greater Houston supported media outreach efforts, with all events compiled into a single flyer coordinated by Bharat Patel, which helped attendees choose which event to attend.

India House

On June 20 evening, India House partnered with the Consulate General of India in Houston and community organizations to host a spirited celebration.
“Yoga has truly become a movement and way of life of many Houstonians,” said CGI DC Manjunath. “This is manifest in the large number of events held this year to celebrate the 11th IDY in the Greater Houston region,”

The India House yoga session was led by Dr. David Frawley, a.k.a Pandit Vamadeva Shastri, a Padma Bhushan awardee. His message was clear-- that "Yoga is not merely physical; it harmonizes inner and outer life" 

“Yoga is India’s timeless gift to the world, a profound practice that nurtures not only the body but also the mind and the spirit,” said Pankaj Malani, president of India House. “Let us remember that yoga is more than just exercise, it’s a path towards holistic health, harmony and inner peace.”

Despite the heat, more than 400 people attended. 

“This gathering reflects our shared commitment to health and harmony,” Col. Vipin Kumar said. “I am deeply grateful to everyone who contributed to making India House the vibrant hub of Houston’s IDY celebrations.”

Sugar Land

Nonprofit Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh hosted several yoga sessions, including one at Sugar Land Town Square on the morning of June 21.
Organized by the youth wings of HSS and Hindu Yuva, the event reflected this year’s global theme, ‘Yoga for One Earth, One Health’. 

More than 250 participants gathered, including CGI D.C. Manjunath, Council Member Sanjay Singhal, and over a hundred youth volunteers. The session was led by Priyanshu Sheth and Vibhor Nigam. All attendees pledged to embrace yoga not just for a day, but as an integral part of daily life to contribute to a healthier self, a united community and a more peaceful world.

The office of Fort Bend County Precinct 3 Commissioner Andy Meyers hosted a free, all-ages yoga event at the Precinct 3 Annex. Newly elected Sugar Land Mayor Carol McCutcheon was among those in attendance. 

“My office organizes this event each year because I’ve seen firsthand how yoga brings our diverse community together in a meaningful way,” Meyers said.

“When we practice yoga as neighbors, we’re not just improving our physical health – we’re strengthening the bonds that make Fort Bend County such a special place to live.”

The Universal Door Meditation Center in Sugar Land held its first outdoor event, led by a Buddhist monk and drawing a diverse group of participants.

Several indoor events were also held across the city, with yoga studios offering different styles of practice. In Sugar Land, the Sewa Seniors group hosted a special chair yoga session led by yoga teacher and therapist Varsha Pangarkar.

“For many seniors it is very difficult to do mat yoga, so we decided to have a chair yoga session to introduce new people to yoga,” said Sewa member and community leader Vijay Kane.

“It was a very peaceful session, they chair yoga for the first time,” said Pangarkar. “We did a little bit of toning. We had a fun quiz about Father's Day to break the ice.”

Eternal Gandhi Museum

The Eternal Gandhi Museum held its first International Day of Yoga celebration June 22 evening, quickly relocating the yoga session indoors when rain disrupted the planned outdoor setting.

“To our surprise and joy, no one complained, Attendees simply found their space — on stairs, in corners, by exhibits — transforming the museum into a peaceful sanctuary for practice,” said Saumil Malek.

The event was organized by Union is Creation and sponsored by HGH, Brahma Kumaris, and CGI – Houston, said Manish Wani.

Baytown

Baytown celebrated IDY in Baytown square. Mayor Charles Johnson presented a proclamation at city council proclaiming June 21, 2025, as the International Day of Yoga. This recognizes the universal appeal and numerous benefits of this practice. 

“A successful IDY united our town in harmony,” said Bankim Shukla from Baytown.

NASA

NASA celebrated the 11th International Day of Yoga at Space Center Houston, in an event hosted by the CGI India and supported by Rasa Yoga School of Ayurveda Yoga. A diverse crowd gathered for an asana practice under the shuttle and shuttle carrier aircraft. Organizer Kristen Wollard said the event embodied this year’s theme, “Yoga for One Earth, One Health,” highlighting the connection between personal well-being and planetary health.

Katy-Fulshear

HSS hosted an IDY event on June 14 at Irene Stern Center, drawing 200 participants for general and chair yoga, said Pradeep Parekh , HSS coordinator. The event opened with a flag hoisting by Boy Scouts Pack 1836 and was attended by Mayor Don McCoy, city officials, and the Fulshear Police K-9 unit. Sixteen community groups supported the celebration including AOL, Gayatri Temple, HDYC, and KHC.

Olga Prieto led a Spanish-language IDY event at Active Coffee Shop in Katy, where more than 125 members of the Hispanic community took part. 

“That was one of the best events I’ve been to,” said Vishwarupa N. “First time we heard of yoga happening in Spanish. I think we were the only few Indians there.”

Pearland

Vishva Hindu Parishad of America hosted a Sunday evening yoga session at Southdown Park, organized by Achalesh Amar. The event drew a strong turnout, as participants gathered with mats and water bottles to celebrate yoga in a festive atmosphere.

Hindu Temple of The Woodlands

The Hindu Temple of The Woodlands hosted a special workshop as part of the celebrations.

During a pranayama workshop, neonatologist, author, and TEDx speaker Dr. Nitin Ron demonstrated how breathwork can reduce stress and promote mental clarity. He shared insights from his book Pranayam: Breathing Techniques for Health, Healing and Tranquility.

“Our temple vision says, ‘one community, one temple, and one shared vision’,” Dr. Neeta Hiray said. “Just like  yoga pioneer  BKS Iyengar, once said ‘yoga is a light , which once lit, will never dim, the better the practice, the brighter the flame.’”

Sugarland town square, Mayor Carol, and participants doing Yoga. / Courtesy Photo