In News:

The Ministry of Ayush has officially opened nominations for the Prime Minister’s Yoga Awards 2025, which will be conferred on the occasion of the International Day of Yoga (IDY) 2025. These prestigious awards aim to honour individuals and organizations that have made exceptional and sustained contributions to the promotion and development of Yoga at both national and international levels.

Background and Objective

Instituted by the Government of India and endorsed by the Hon’ble Prime Minister, the awards recognize Yoga’s vital role in:

• Health promotion
• Disease prevention
• Management of lifestyle-related disorders

The initiative reflects the government’s broader vision to acknowledge and encourage meaningful contributions in advancing Yoga as a holistic system of well-being and preventive healthcare.

Award Categories and Benefits

The awards will be presented in the following four categories:

1. National Individual
2. National Organization
3. International Individual
4. International Organization

Each awardee will receive:

• A Trophy
• A Certificate of Recognition
• A Cash Prize of ?25 lakh

Eligibility Criteria

• Individual applicants must be 40 years or older.
• They should possess a minimum of 20 years of committed work in promoting Yoga.
• Organizations must have a proven track record in the field of Yoga development and outreach.

Applicants or nominees can apply for only one category (either National or International) in a given year. Applications can be submitted directly by individuals/entities or through nominations made by recognized Yoga institutions.

Application and Submission Process

• Nominations and applications are to be submitted through the MyGov platform:
  https://innovateindia.mygov.in/pm-yoga-awards-2025/
• The link is also accessible on the Ministry of Ayush website and those of its autonomous bodies.
• The deadline for submission is March 31, 2025.

Selection Procedure

The award process involves two key stages:

1. A Screening Committee formed by the Ministry of Ayush will evaluate all entries and recommend a maximum of 50 nominations per category.
2. These shortlisted names will be reviewed by a high-level Evaluation Jury comprising eminent personalities from diverse fields, which will serve as the final decision-making body.

Significance of the Initiative

The Prime Minister’s Yoga Awards not only celebrate excellence in Yoga but also further the objectives of initiatives like Fit India Movement, Ayushman Bharat, and the mainstreaming of traditional Indian wellness systems.

The awards are a key element of the Ministry of Ayush’s broader mandate to integrate traditional systems such as Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, Sowa-Rigpa, and Homeopathy into the healthcare ecosystem of India.