Mysuru: The Karnataka Government has submitted a proposal to the Centre requesting that Mysuru district be officially declared India’s first ‘Yoga District’. If approved, this status will ensure that at least one member of every household in the district learns and regularly practises Yoga.

During a 2024 visit, officials from the Ministry of Ayush (Ayurveda, Yoga, Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy) found that Mysuru was the closest to meeting the benchmark — at least 50 percent of households actively practising Yoga — required for this recognition.

Karnataka Minister for Health and Family Welfare Dinesh Gundu Rao confirmed yesterday that Mysuru has a strong Yoga culture, drawing thousands of learners and teachers from across India and abroad every year.

As part of this initiative, a grand Yoga session titled ‘Yoga Mahakumbha’ will be held this year at the Mysore Palace premises on June 21, with an estimated 15,000 participants.

The Mysore Palace, which hosted Prime Minister Narendra Modi for International Yoga Day in 2022, remains an iconic venue to highlight Yoga alongside Mysuru’s tourism appeal.

Approval process underway

Speaking to Star of Mysore this morning, Mysuru District Ayush Officer Dr. Renukadevi said that the proposal to establish a Yoga University in Mysuru and secure the ‘Yoga District’ tag was first drafted in 2017, but gained fresh momentum only recently.

“The project was revived three months ago following the Ministry of Ayush officials’ visit. Now, the approval process is in motion. Establishing a Yoga University will help regulate and systematise Yoga learning, as over 25,000 people visit Mysuru each year to study Yoga,” she said.

She added, “The action plan combines Ayurveda, wellness and Yoga. Mysuru has 22 Ayushman Arogya Mandirs (health and wellness centres) where trained instructors reach Yoga education to the last mile, ensuring anyone interested can learn.”

“If Mysuru is declared a ‘Yoga District’, it will receive additional funding, resources and infrastructure to promote structured Yoga education,” Dr. Renukadevi noted.

Mysuru as a Yoga hub

According to Ayush Commissioner Ratan Singh, Mysuru alone houses 22 of Karnataka’s 326 Ayushman Arogya Mandirs, each with at least one Yoga instructor, fostering daily practice among residents.

He said the district’s ecosystem — including a private university, naturopathy colleges and hospitals, and a panchakarma centre — further strengthens its standing as a Yoga hub.

“The Ministry recognised Mysuru’s deep connection with Yoga during our 2024 visit. With nearly half the households practising Yoga and a rich tradition, Mysuru is the natural choice for India’s first Yoga District,” Singh said.

He added that the proposal is included in Karnataka’s annual action plan under the National Ayush Mission and is currently awaiting State-level clearance.

Lakshminarayana Shenoy, Assistant Director of State Ayurvedic Research Centre, pointed out that areas like Gokulam, Yadavagiri and Jayalakshmipuram are key pockets for Yoga practice.

“About 25,000 foreign tourists come every year to learn Yoga within a 3-km radius spanning these neighbourhoods. Another 8,000 visit to train as Yoga instructors. The district has nearly 600 Yoga schools,” he said.