Ayush ministry asks Isro for satellite help to gauge International Yoga Day ‘success’
The government now plans to make use of satellite imagery to get a sense of the number of participants in the events for the International Day of Yoga (IDY), to be held on June 21.
After weather forecast, communications, navigation system and others, the government now plans to make use of satellite imagery to get a sense of the number of participants in the events for the International Day of Yoga (IDY), to be held on June 21.

The Ayush (Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy) ministry has contacted Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) for the satellite imagery of the main event.
“We have written to the ISRO chief and asked him if he could help us in mapping the event participation between 7am and 8am from across the country using their satellite. He is yet to formally respond to our request but he has given us in principle approval,” said Rajesh Kotecha, special secretary, Ayush.
Since its inception in 2015, IDY main event have taken place in Delhi, Chandigarh and Lucknow.
Close to 50 thousand people have participated in each event, and this year, too, a huge turnout is expected at the main event, scheduled to be held at Dehradun in Uttarakhand.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will participate in the main event, that will be held at the Forest Research Institute grounds.
“As per our estimates, about 10 crore people had participated last year across the globe. We are expecting nearly 100% increase this year,” said Shripad Yesso Naik, Ayush minister.
The ministry has also developed a yoga protocol for 40 plus women in consultation with Indian Menopause Society (IMS).
“We are taking into account health conditions of peri-, pre- or post-menopausal women. The postures will help them deal with the changes their bodies are undergoing,” said Kotecha.
ABOUT THE AUTHORRhythma KaulRhythma Kaul is the national health editor of the Hindustan Times. She has been reporting on public health, medicine, and medical research, with a particular focus on how government decisions and health system reforms shape people’s lives. Rhythma has over 25 years of journalistic experience. She joined Hindustan Times in 2008, and has since covered everything from pandemics and infectious diseases to cutting‑edge medical research and climate‑related health challenges. Her stories routinely track the work of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, department of pharmaceuticals, and key national health programmes, making complex medical science and policy accessible to a wide audience. One of her prominent news breaks has been the 2012 Baby Falak case: A two-year-old brutally battered baby girl was admitted to AIIMS-Delhi with severe head injuries, multiple fractures, human bite marks, and burns. The police investigation revealed this to be a case of multi-state human-trafficking racket. She was profiled by The Wall Street Journal for breaking this story. Rhythma holds a Master’s degree from Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi. Prior to Hindustan Times, she worked with the India Today Group. Rhythma can be contacted at rhythma.kaul@hindustantimes.com. Her X handle is @RamblingBrook.Read More

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