India Launches 7-Day Breathe Again Challenge as Toxic Smog Crisis Deepens

As large parts of northern India choke under hazardous air quality levels, with Delhi-NCR once again recording AQI readings in the “severe” and “severe-plus” categories for weeks, Akshar Yoga Kendraa has launched ‘India Breathe Again’, a first-of-its-kind 7-day national conscious breathing challenge aimed at empowering millions to protect their lungs and mental well-being through the power of breath.

The initiative comes at a time when hospitals are reporting a sharp surge in respiratory illnesses, asthma attacks, and pollution-related anxiety. Doctors warn that prolonged exposure to PM2.5 levels routinely exceeding 300–500 µg/m³ is causing irreversible lung damage, especially among children and the elderly.

“Breathing is the only bodily function we do both unconsciously and consciously. In a country where clean air is no longer guaranteed, conscious breathing becomes an act of survival and self-care,” said Himalayan Master Akshar, founder of Akshar Yoga Kendraa. “This challenge is not about complex yoga — it’s about giving every Indian a free, 60-second daily tool to detox the body, oxygenate the blood, and calm the mind amid the smog.”