PM Modi says yoga is not a religious activity: 10 updates

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday joined over 30,000 people in Chandigarh for the second International Yoga Day celebrations. Modi, who was seen actively performing yoga, said that yoga is "not a religious practice" and should not be made controversial.

Here are the 10 latest updates of the mega event:

1. Modi was seen wearing a white t-shirt, trouser with a scarf. He surveyed people who were performing yoga and then settled on a mat and joined them at the Capitol Complex.

2. PM Modi urged people to embrace yoga like the way they have taken to the mobile phone. He said it "gives us health assurance at zero budget".

3. Modi pitched for treating diseases like diabetes through the ancient spiritual discipline.

4. Two awards were announced by the Prime Minister for the people who are working to popularise yoga in India and abroad.

5. President Pranab Mukherjee took part in the Yoga Day session along with around 1000 people at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi.

6. 57 ministers across India, including union ministers Rajnath Singh, Venkaiah Naidu and Smriti Ira, also led sessions. Rajnath led a yoga event braving the rain in Lucknow.

7. On Sunday, yoga guru Ramdev led a three-hour rehearsal at New Delhi’s Rajpath. The rehearsal was attended by ministers. Today, Ramdev led a yoga camp in Faridabad. A record 100000 people participated in the event.

8. International Yoga day is being celebrated in 191 countries across the world, Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj informed. Multiple preparatory events took place across the US, UK and Australia ahead of the International Yoga Day.

9. On Monday, striking images of yoga postures were seen at the headquarters of the United Nations, which was illuminated. Hundreds practiced yoga at  Times Square in New York City.

10. The United Nations named June 21 as International Yoga Day last year. 177 nations adopted the resolution proposed by PM Narendra Modi without a vote.