Kick-starting the global celebrations marking International Yoga Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the nation by participating in a mega event in Ranchi on Friday.

Setting the stage for International Yoga Day, which is being celebrated on a global scale from 2015, PM Modi has been sharing an asan a day on social media urging people to join the movement.

Home minister Amit Shah participated at an event in Rohtak and defence minister Rajnath Singh was seen in the national capital at a morning yoga session at Rajpath. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) working president J P Nadda performed yoga, along with other party leaders and workers, at a park opposite the headquarters of the saffron party on Deen Dayal Upadhyaya (DDU) Marg in the national capital.

Highlights:

6:00 pm IST Sri Lanka Prez praises Modi for bringing yoga to international stage On the occasion of International Yoga Day, Sri Lankan President Maitripala Sirisena praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his efforts to bring the “common heritage” of India and Sri Lanka to the international stage. He also urged everyone to practice yoga. “I compliment my friend @narendramodi for his efforts at bringing our common heritage of Yoga to the international stage. I urge all to practice yoga like me,” he tweeted.





4:30 pm IST Yoga is above everything, make it integral part of life: Modi Prime Minister Narendra Modi said yoga is above caste, religion, colour, gender and region as he meticulously performed various asanas with around 40,000 enthusiasts at the Prabhat Tara ground here to mark the fifth International Day of Yoga. Modi also urged people to make yoga an integral part of life.





09:46 am IST BSF’s equestrian team performs yoga on horsebacks Border Security Force’s equestrian team performs yoga on horsebacks at the BSF camp in Gurugram. #Haryana: Border Security Force's equestrian team performs Yoga on horsebacks at the BSF camp in Gurugram. pic.twitter.com/Vp7ytXqDRg — ANI (@ANI) June 21, 2019





09:42 am IST Yoga practise at Victoria Memorial, Kolkata Yoga practise on 5th International Yoga Day in front of Victoria Memorial in Kolkata on Friday.





09:34 am IST Gautam Gambhir performs yoga in Delhi Gautam Gambhir performs yoga on the occasion of international Yoga Day at Yamuna Sports Complex in New Delhi.





09:29 am IST Ram Madhav, BJP National General Secretary, performs yoga in Trivandrum Kerala: Ram Madhav, BJP National General Secretary, performs yoga at an event in Trivandrum. #InternationalDayofYoga pic.twitter.com/DQCpOa4HZT — ANI (@ANI) June 21, 2019





09:26 am IST Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) personnel performed yoga at Rohtang Pass Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) personnel performed Yoga at Rohtang Pass on the occassion of #InternationalDayofYoga, today. pic.twitter.com/Ekd8bvbqzs — ANI (@ANI) June 21, 2019





08:45 am IST S Akbaruddin: Yoga will reinforce values of cleaner, greener & more sustainable future S Akbaruddin, India’s Permanent Representative to UN Ambassador,in New York, says, “ I hope this indoor yoga session in Gen Assembly hall,the first of its kind, will reinforce values of cleaner,greener&more sustainable future that all of you yogis are committed to,” reports news agency ANI. S Akbaruddin, India's Permanent Representative to UN Ambassador,in New York: I hope this indoor yoga session in Gen Assembly hall,the first of its kind, will reinforce values of cleaner,greener&more sustainable future that all of you yogis are committed to.#InternationalDayofYoga pic.twitter.com/CtigpecuGc — ANI (@ANI) June 21, 2019





08:31 am IST Himachal governor, CM Jai Ram Thakur celebrate yoga day Himachal Pradesh: CM Jai Ram Thakur, Governor Acharya Devvrat and others observed two minutes of silence to pay last respects to the people who died in Kullu bus accident yesterday. They are present at an event organised in Shimla on #InternationalDayofYoga. pic.twitter.com/qgpzS8u3Sf — ANI (@ANI) June 21, 2019





08:29 am IST Smriti Irani celebrates yoga day in Delhi Celebrated #YogaDay2019 by performing Yoga with citizens of Bijwasan in Delhi. pic.twitter.com/zjPqhKYnjG — Smriti Z Irani (@smritiirani) June 21, 2019





08:27 am IST International Day of Yoga not just an event, says President Kovind President Ram Nath Kovind says, “I’m happy that like previous years, we are celebrating Yoga Day this year too. It’s not just an event, but a way to make yoga an integral part of our life,” reports news agency ANI. Pres Ram Nath Kovind at Rashtrapati Bhavan,Delhi:#InternationalDayofYoga is being celebrated at Rashtrapati Bhavan since 2015.I'm happy that like previous yrs,this yr too we're celebrating Yoga Day here. It's not just an event, it's a way to make yoga an integral part of our life pic.twitter.com/Rcq9C4hcdo — ANI (@ANI) June 21, 2019





08:20 am IST PM Modi interacts with people after performing yoga Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacts with people after performing yoga at Prabhat Tara ground in Ranchi on International Day of Yoga, reports news agency ANI.





08:19 am IST International Yoga Day celebrations at Rajpath





08:15 am IST ITBP personnel perform yoga in Ladakh in minus 20° Celsius ITBP personnel perform Yoga at an altitude of 18000 feet in northern Ladakh in minus 20 Degrees Celsius temperature, reports news agency ANI. ITBP personnel perform Yoga at an altitude of 18000 feet in northern Ladakh in minus 20 Degrees Celsius temperature. pic.twitter.com/csvfZNJc1t — ANI (@ANI) June 21, 2019





08:11 am IST School children celebrate International yoga day School children celebrate International yoga day at Bandra reclamation in Mumbai.





08:08 am IST ITBP personnel of the 26th Battalion practice yoga in Ludhiana Punjab: ITBP personnel of 26th BN practice Yoga on #InternationalDayofYoga at Baddhowal Ludhiana pic.twitter.com/6ko85L2JbQ — ANI (@ANI) June 21, 2019





07:58 am IST Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla along with parliamentarians and parliament staff perform Yoga Lok sabha speaker Om Birla and Staff of Parliament house take part in 5th International Day of Yoga celebrations at Parliament house in New Delhi On Friday.





07:55 am IST Amit Shah and Haryana CM ML Khattar perform Yoga at Rohtak Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Haryana CM ML Khattar perform Yoga at Rohtak on #InternationalDayofYoga . pic.twitter.com/Qidq9WV5Rx — ANI (@ANI) June 21, 2019





07:43 am IST Actor Shilpa Shetty participates in celebrations in Mumbai Maharashtra: People perform Yoga at the Gateway of India in Mumbai, actor Shilpa Shetty also present, reports news agency ANI. #Maharashtra: People perform Yoga at the Gateway of India in Mumbai; Actor Shilpa Shetty also present. #InternationalDayofYoga pic.twitter.com/tRV1J1nTTM — ANI (@ANI) June 21, 2019





07:36 am IST ITBP personnel participate in yoga practice session in Leh Jammu & Kashmir: ITBP personnel participate in yoga practice session in Leh on International Day of Yoga, reports news agency ANI.





07:26 am IST Defence Minister’s tweet on Yoga Day On #YogaDay2019 I urge everyone to make Yoga an integral part of their lives. Join us live from Rajpath, New Delhi on my YouTube channel : https://t.co/XkgAaG7Ekf — Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) June 21, 2019





07:23 am IST Yoga being performed on-board INS Viraat at Western Naval Dockyard in Mumbai Indian Armed Forces personnel take part in a yoga sesssion to mark International Yoga Day on the Indian Navy aircraft carrier INS Viraat in Mumbai.





07:20 am IST We can see yoga from streets to wellness centres: PM Modi “We can say that today yoga has reached every corner, every class of India. From drawing rooms to board rooms, from city parks to sports complexes. We can see yoga from streets to wellness centres,” says PM Modi.





07:17 am IST Modi performs yoga at Prabhat Tara ground in Ranchi Jharkhand: Prime Minister Narendra Modi performs yoga at Prabhat Tara ground in Ranchi on #InternationalDayofYoga pic.twitter.com/gUAEYg8Gr6 — ANI (@ANI) June 21, 2019





07:15 am IST I urge you all to embrace Yoga: PM Modi PM in Ranchi: I thank ppl across the world for joining #InternationalDayofYoga celebrations. World over,the first rays of the Sun are being welcomed by dedicated Yoga practitioners, it's a beautiful sight. I urge you all to embrace Yoga&make it integral part of your daily routine pic.twitter.com/yeyhGKTEYl — ANI (@ANI) June 21, 2019





07:14 am IST I thank people across the world for joining International Day of Yoga celebrations: PM Modi Prime Minister Modi says, “I thank people across the world for joining International Day of Yoga celebrations. World over,the first rays of the Sun are being welcomed by dedicated Yoga practitioners, it’s a beautiful sight. I urge you all to embrace Yoga&make it integral part of your daily routine.”





07:08 am IST PM Modi: Yoga is ancient and modern Prime Minister Narendra Modi says, “Yoga is ancient and modern. It is constant and evolving. For centuries, the essence of Yoga has remained the same: Healthy body, Stable mind, Spirit of oneness.” “Yoga provides a perfect blend of knowledge, work and devotion,” he added.





07:007 am IST Yoga has always been an important part of our culture: PM Modi PM Modi says, “We all know the importance of Yoga very well. It has always been an important part of our culture. But now we all have to take the practice of Yoga to another level,” reports news agency ANI. PM Narendra Modi at Prabhat Tara ground in Ranchi: We all know the importance of Yoga very well. It has always been an important part of our culture. But now we all have to take the practice of Yoga to another level. #InternationalDayofYoga #Jharkhand pic.twitter.com/bPlcOBi5ns — ANI (@ANI) June 21, 2019





6:45 am IST PM Narendra Modi addresses crowd at Prabhat Tara ground in Ranchi ‘I extend my good wishes to all of you, in India & across the globe, on the occasion of International Day of Yoga ,’ PM Narendra Modi. PM Narendra Modi at Prabhat Tara ground in Ranchi: I extend my good wishes to all of you, in India & across the globe, on the occasion of #InternationalDayofYoga . Today, lakhs of people have gathered in different parts of the world to celebrate Yoga Day. #Jharkhand pic.twitter.com/KzMhIEYVRV — ANI (@ANI) June 21, 2019





6:30 am IST PM Narendra Modi all set for Yoga Day in Ranchi PM Narendra Modi all set for the Yoga Day 2019 programme in Ranchi. All set for the #YogaDay2019 programme in Ranchi. pic.twitter.com/11kc1vFOo3 — PMO India (@PMOIndia) June 21, 2019



