World Laughter Day 2021: History, significance and why it is celebrated

The first Sunday of May is celebrated as World Laughter Day and this year, it is being observed on May 2. Celebrated since 1998, World Laughter Day is an annual event celebrated to raise awareness about laughter and its many healing benefits.

Humor is also a way to increase retention of information in academic or professional settings because of the higher number of mental connections between the information and emotional responses (laughter).

The first celebration was on May 10, 1998, in Mumbai, India, and was arranged by Dr Madan Kataria, founder of the worldwide Laughter Yoga movement.

Dr. Kataria, a family doctor in India, was inspired to start the Laughter Yoga movement in part by the facial feedback hypothesis, which postulates that a person's facial expressions can have an effect on their emotions.

According to DD News, the day also promotes the thousands of community groups around the world – typically known as Laughter Clubs – who regularly practice simple intentional laughter techniques that promote wellness and overall well-being.

The celebration of World Laughter Day is a positive manifestation of world peace and is intended to build up a global consciousness of brotherhood and friendship through laughter. It is most often celebrated by gatherings of people in public places with the sole purpose of laughing. Its popularity has grown exponentially[when?] with that of the Laughter Yoga movement now counting thousands of Laughter Clubs in more than 105 countries. And now it is celebrated worldwide.