First Laughter Club started in Lokhandwala Park in Mumbai on 13th March 1995. Started with just five people Dr Madan Kataria, Madhuri Kataria and three more people. Dr. Kataria realized that laughter need not be triggered by comedy — the body doesn’t differentiate between real and fake laughter. By combining laughter with deep yogic breathing (pranayama), he formulated the core technique of Laughter Yoga.

First Laughter Club started in Lokhandwala Park in Mumbai on 13th March 1995. Started with just five people Dr Madan Kataria, Madhuri Kataria and three more people. Dr. Kataria realized that laughter need not be triggered by comedy — the body doesn’t differentiate between real and fake laughter. By combining laughter with deep yogic breathing (pranayama), he formulated the core technique of Laughter Yoga.

On 24 May 1999, Dr Kataria and his wife Madhuri visited United States of America for the first time to introduce Laughter Yoga abroad. They visited 14 cities and conducted 23 workshops to introduce Laughter Yoga to the American public.

On 24 May 1999, Dr Kataria and his wife Madhuri visited United States of America for the first time to introduce Laughter Yoga abroad. They visited 14 cities and conducted 23 workshops to introduce Laughter Yoga to the American public.

On 24 May 1999, Dr Kataria and his wife Madhuri visited United States of America for the first time to introduce Laughter Yoga abroad. They visited 14 cities and conducted 23 workshops to introduce Laughter Yoga to the American public.

“The Laughing Club of India” is a short documentary film directed by award-winning filmmaker Mira Nair (2001). The 35-minute feature beautifully captures the early days of Dr. Madan Kataria’s Laughter Yoga movement in Mumbai, showing how ordinary people gather in public parks each morning to laugh together for better health and happiness. Through heartfelt stories and joyful visuals, the film highlights the power of laughter to reduce stress, build community, and transform lives. The documentary has been featured on The Criterion Channel / Criterion Collection and continues to inspire people around the world to explore the science and spirit of shared laughter.

World laughter Day celebration moved to 1st Sunday of every May. What began as a community celebration in Mumbai evolved into an annual international event. World Laughter Day is now celebrated on the first Sunday of May in over 100 countries.

In the special edition of happiness, Laughter Yoga appeared in Time magazine in the month of January 2005.

Scientific research was conducted on 3 IT companies in Bangalore by renowned yoga University, SVYASA and they found that Laughter Yoga reduces stress and increase positive emotions and decrease negative emotions..

History was created at 9:50 PM on May 10, 2008. Goldie Hawn participated in a laughter yoga session led by Dr. Madan Kataria at Pangea Day. For the first time in the history of the world representative of the human race, laugh together for one minute in all the continents in real time for world peace. 80 countries thousands of locations, millions of people. When you laugh you change, and when you change the whole world changes around you. On Saturday, he and actress Goldie Hawn led the audience in several moments of roaring laughter across the planet. "When you laugh, you change," Kataria told the crowd, "And when you change, the whole world changes around you." - Los Angeles Time report on Pangea Day, May 2008

Eight pages article appeared in the New Yorker magazine on 30th of August 2010

Dr. Kataria introduced structured Laughter Yoga sessions for corporations. His programs were used by companies like IBM, HSBC, and Google to improve employee well-being, stress management, and morale.

Dr. Kataria’s work was spotlighted in Oprah’s coverage of global wellness trends. This propelled Laughter Yoga to audiences in the US and across Europe.

With the rise of digital learning, Dr. Kataria introduced online training options — allowing people to become certified laughter leaders from anywhere in the world.

During COVID-19, when people were isolated and anxious, Dr. Kataria led virtual laughter sessions, helping thousands cope with stress and loneliness. Laughter Yoga saw a major resurgence online.

Dr. Kataria’s movement continues to grow. From schools and hospitals to prisons and senior homes, Laughter Yoga is now practiced in over 120 countries — a testament to its universal appeal.

Dr. Kataria continues to write, speak, and teach — traveling the world and empowering the next generation of wellness leaders. His goal remains simple:

“To bring good health, joy, and world peace through laughter.”