International Yoga Day: As it happened

Pic courtesy: PIB India

New Delhi: India on Sunday scripted history as millions of practitioners worldwide participated in events to mark the maiden International Yoga Day, with a record 37,000 people performing various asanas at Delhi's Rajpath alone.

The United Nations decided to declare June 21 as International Yoga Day after PM Modi proposed this idea during his speech at the UN General Assembly in September last year. The resolution for the Yoga Day was co-sponsored by 175 of the 193 member nations in a short period of 75 days.

Here are the LIVE updates:

• Yoga session concludes at Rajpath. PM Modi meets with people.

• People in Bali Island celebrate World Yoga Day.

Celebrations of the 1st International Day of Yoga at beautiful Bali island. #YogaDay @cgibali @MEAIndia pic.twitter.com/sq4UF5kATP — Indian Diplomacy (@IndianDiplomacy) June 21, 2015

• Yoga was also performed in Fiji on the ocassion of World Yoga Day.

Its a Yoga Dawn in Fiji, one of the first to celebrate the First International #YogaDay today! pic.twitter.com/wayKyyiEED — Vikas Swarup (@MEAIndia) June 21, 2015

• Home Minister Rajnath Singh also takes part in Yoga session.

• Despite heavy rainfall, Mumbai took part in International Yoga Day celebration. Union Minister of State with independent charge Piyush Goyal hails Mumbai's spirit and determination.

Some images from my participation at Yoga by the Bay at Marine Drive, Mumbai celebrating #InternationalDayofYoga pic.twitter.com/YsDyBtvDeA — Piyush Goyal (@PiyushGoyal) June 21, 2015

• Indian Coast Guard personnel and others performing at Noida in Uttar Pradesh.

#InternationalDayofYoga Indian Coast Guard personnel and others performing at NOIDA. pic.twitter.com/LocIuwhe7c — Sitanshu Kar (@SpokespersonMoD) June 21, 2015

• PM Modi participates in Yoga session.

PM participates in the mass yoga demonstration at Rajpath on the occasion of International Yoga Day pic.twitter.com/G5X8yq79kJ — PIB India (@PIB_India) June 21, 2015

• This is a programme for Manav Kalyan, a tension free world and a programme to spread the message of sadbhavana: PM

• I thank the United Nations and the nations of the world who co-sponsored the resolution to mark this day as International Day of Yoga: PM

• We are not only celebrating a day but we are training the human mind to begin a new era of peace, sadbhavana: PM

• Twisting your body is not Yoga. Had it been a case everyone in a circus would have been called a Yogi: PM Modi.

• Did anyone imagine that this Rajpath can become Yogpath. This is the beginning of a new era. I bow down to the sages who encouraged Yoga through centuries: PM Modi

• PM Modi addresses the gathering.

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrives at Rajpath.

• President Pranab Mukherjee addresses all at Rajpath, says Yoga should be made integral part of daily like.

• I pray to God that everyone who joins in today's celebration has a happy and contented life: BJP president Amit Shah addresses gathering in Patna

• Congress party greeted the nation on World Yoga Day.

सभी देशवासियों को अंतराष्ट्रीय योग दिवस की हार्दिक शुभकामनायें #YogisOfCongress pic.twitter.com/mQc29BVErp — INC India (@INCIndia) June 21, 2015

• Great day for those who aspired for Yoga. Their philosophy is being acknowledged all over world: Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

• I commend the honourable Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Indian High Commission of India in Australia for their efforts to share this valuable and ancient discipline with the global community: Australian PM Tony Abott

• Japan celebrated International Yoga Day at Taimei Elementary School, Tokyo.

#YogaDay Japan celebrates International Day of Yoga at Taimei Elementary School, Tokyo. pic.twitter.com/WJlWo4TmyQ — Indian Diplomacy (@IndianDiplomacy) June 21, 2015

• There shouldn't be politics on Yoga. Everyone should practice it. It's a good endeavour: Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal

• Greetings to people around the world on first International Day of Yoga. Lets pledge to make Yoga an integral part of our daily lives: PM Modi

Greetings to people around the world on 1st International Day of Yoga! Lets pledge to make Yoga an integral part of our daily lives #YogaDay — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 21, 2015

In some parts of the world, the 1st rays of the sun have already been welcomed by people practicing Yoga.This will continue across the world — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 21, 2015

I will join the #YogaDay programme at Rajpath, New Delhi in a short while. You can watch the programme LIVE. http://t.co/8khNBzVJdr — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 21, 2015

• The spiritual goal of Yoga is God realization. It also means self realisation: MP CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan

The spiritual goal of Yoga is God realization. It also means self realisation. #InternationalDayofYoga #YogaDay pic.twitter.com/y3TZ8KmxiB — ShivrajSingh Chouhan (@ChouhanShivraj) June 21, 2015

• People in large number gather at Varanasi to celebrate International Yoga Day.
• Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj meets Ban Ki-moon and Sri Sri Ravi Shankar in New York ahead of International Yoga Day celebration.

Joining hands for 1st International Day of Yoga at the UN. EAM @SushmaSwaraj meets Sri Sri Ravi Shankar in New York pic.twitter.com/YyYHzCzs0E — Vikas Swarup (@MEAIndia) June 20, 2015

• United Kingdom President David Cameron has wished all on International Yoga Day. In a message, he has written that the Yoga Day is being embraced with enthusiasm in both the UK and around the world.

Greetings on the occasion of the First International Day of Yoga from 10 Downing Street pic.twitter.com/6TkqVzgQDB — Vikas Swarup (@MEAIndia) June 20, 2015

• Looking forward to being at the Rajpath for World Yoga Day. Will be part of history we are creating tomorrow. Will share more from there: BJP leader Kiran Bedi

Looking forward to being at the Rajpath for World Yoga Day. Will be part of history we are creating tomorrow. Will share more from there.. — Kiran Bedi (@thekiranbedi) June 20, 2015

• Tomorrow it's a big day when the whole world will celebrate first International Yoga Day: Swami Ramdev

I hv spent last 2 decades taking yoga to world. Tomorrow it 'll be a big day when the whole world will celebrate 1st International #YogaDay — Swami Ramdev (@yogrishiramdev) June 20, 2015

• PM Narendra Modi took to Twitter on Saturday and urged all to be a part of International Yoga Day celebration. 

Tomorrow the world will celebrate the first #YogaDay. I urge you all to be a part of it & inspire others to join as well. — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 20, 2015

Considering the large scale at which the event is being organised, security at Rajpath has been beefed up. Besides Delhi, International Yoga Day events are being held across many states in the country simultaneously.

Yoga day events are also being held in 192 countries, including in the Arab world. Indian missions abroad are all geared up the mark the occasion with some public events.

Around 5,000 Delhi Police personnel along with commandos, sharp shooters and dog squads are deployed at Rajpath and within a two-km radius to provide tight security.

Around 13 deputy commissioners of police are monitoring the security arrangements.

The security personnel took over the entire area from 3 am on Sunday till 10 am, during which no movement of vehicles was allowed, except for labelled ones.

Participants, including government officials, members of the National Cadet Corps, school children and members of the armed forces, are attired in white T-shirts provided by the AYUSH ministry and with comfortable lowers.

It is estimated that 250 million people around the world practise yoga, over 20 million of them in the US.

(With Agency inputs)