NEWs: Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually inaugurated the 1st World Yogasana Sports Championship 2026

ABOUT

• The World Yogasana Sports Championshipà A premier, first-of-its-kind global tournament designed to transform the ancient Indian practice of yoga into a structured, high-performance competitive sport.
• Evaluates athletes based on physical precision, flexibility, balance, and endurance.
• The inaugural 5-day event is being staged at the EKA Arena in Ahmedabad, Gujarat.
• The global meet is organized by Yogasana Bharat in joint association with the World Yogasana Body and the Indian Olympic Association (IOA).

OBJECTIVE

To standardize rules, scoring metrics, and governing codes for competitive yoga to pave a clear, structured pathway for Yogasana’s inclusion in future multi-sport global spectacles like the Olympic Games, Asian Games, and Commonwealth Games.

Key Features

• Traditional Yogasanaà Focusing on holding structural postures with extreme precision and stability.
• Brings together more than 500 elite athletes hailing from over 70 countries, including major international contingents from the USA, Japan, Uzbekistan, Ghana, Malaysia, Netherlands, and Nepal.
• Diverse Competitive Disciplinary VerticalsàAthletes compete across specialized divisions, including:
• Artistic Yogasana (Singles, Pairs, Groups)à Performing choreographed, fluid movements set to rhythm.
• Rhythmic Pairs: Highly synchronized transitions executed in perfect harmony by two athletes.
• Six Institutional Age Brackets: Host nation India is fielding a 122-member contingent, matching international rules that segment competitors into six divisionsà Sub-Junior (10–14 years), Junior (14–18 years),Senior (18–28 years), Senior A (28–35 years), Senior B (35–45 years), and Senior C (45–55 years).