LIVE: World bows to Yoga as India launches International Yoga Day in style, PM Modi calls it 'the beginning'

New Delhi: Thousands of people on Sunday morning joined Prime Minister Narendra Modi as Rajpath turned into 'Yogpath' to launch the first International Yoga Day with a grand event in the national capital. Later, the Prime Minister also inaugurated a two-day International Yoga Conference at Vigyan Bhawan in the Capital.

Here are the highlights:

3.50 pm: Vajra Corps of the Indian Army organised a grand event in Jalandhar on the occasion of International Day of Yoga:

2.20 pm: Souther Naval command personnel performed Yoga on board a ship:

1.28 pm: Prime Minister Narendra Modi releases commemorative coins and stamp to mark first International Yoga day:

1.27 pm: Gujarat Chief Minister Anandiben Patel has said that the state government will try to introduce yoga as a regular practice in schools.

12.10 am: "I am indebted to the world for making International Yoga Day a success," says PM Narendra Modi as he concludes his speech at the International Yoga conference.

12.06 am: Yoga is not a commodity, it should never be commercialised, says PM Modi.

12.02 am: PM further says expectations from India has risen across the world with this event, now it becomes the responsibility of every Indian to live up to it.

12.01 am: "International Yoga Day is not the brainchild of a government or United, it is a movement of people whose lives have been changed by Yoga...we will take this movement forward," says PM Modi.

11.59 am: Yoga will bring the world together, says PM Narendra Modi.

11.57 am: Yoga is not an exercise, it is a philosophy, says the Prime Minister.

11.56 am: We live in a world that is divided and full of conflicts, says PM Modi.

11.54 am: Yoga transcends caste, creed and community, said PM Narendra Modi addressing International Yoga conference.

11.49 am: According to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, people doubt Yoga when they do not understand its benefits

11.45 am: "The solidarity shown by the neighbouring countries for today has brought us closer," says the Prime Minister.

11.42 am: It is said that Yoga transforms life, says PM Narendra Modi, adding the ancient Indian tradition is the medicine to let one live life to the fullest.

11.40 am: There are yoga practitioners in every continent of the world, says PM Modi.

11.38 am: "When I first talked about International Yoga Day, little did I know that I would get such huge response," says Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

11.36 am: Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses International Yoga Day conference at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi.

11.30 am: Uttarakhand Chief Minister and Congress leader Harish Rawat also participated at an International Yoga Day event:

IN PICTURES: Armed forces across India celebrate International Yoga Day

10.20 am: Speaking to CNN-IBN after the grand yoga event at Rajpath, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said that there must not be any politics over the ancient Indian tradition, as it is good for both mind and body. WATCH VIDEO

10 am: It will be known at around 4 pm if the International Yoga Day event at Rajpath with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and over 39,000 others would enter the Guinness Book of World Records.

9:55 am: International Yoga Day event held at Air Force station in Gwalior:

9.25 am: Peking University in China organises International Yoga Day event:

9:17 am: Union HRD Minister Smriti Irani leads International Yoga Day celebrations in Shimla

9.05 am: Indian Navy personnel join International Yoga Day celebration onboard INS Viraat:

8.56 am: Union Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar performs yoga asanas in Meerut:

8.50 am: Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh also performed yoga asanas at K D Singh Babu stadium in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, as part of the International Yoga Day celebrations:

ALSO READ: Widely practiced Yoga asanas and their benefits

8.44 am: Several diplomats from different countries also participated in the Rajpath yoga event:

IN PICTURES: PM Narendra Modi, thousands other perform Yoga asanas at Rajpath

8.30 am: Over 10,000 people perform yoga asanas at YMCA ground in Chennai, Tamil Nadu.

8.15 am: International yoga day event was celebrated in Islamabad as well:

8.10 am: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who participated in the Rajpath yoga event, targeted the Congress for not participating at the event, saying, "It is up to Congress if it does not want to do yoga."

7.43 am: Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje performs yoga asanas at a public event in Jaipur.

7.40 am: PM Modi departs from Rajpath after performing yoga asanas with over 35,000 others.

7.37 am: Prime Minister Narendra Modi meets children who performed yoga during the Rajpath event to launch the International Day of Yoga.

7.33 am: 'Shanti Path' being recited at Rajpath as part of the grand launch event of the International Yoga Day.

7.30 am: In a world record attempt, over 35,000 people, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, perform 15 asanas in 35 minutes at Rajpath.

7.15 am: Several students also participating in the event, which aims to create a world record.

7.13 am: Announcements at Rajpath explain the benefits of different asanas being performed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and over 35,000 others.

ALSO READ: How UN recognised India's traditional exercise and June 21 as Yoga Day

7.06 am: Over 40,000 people perform various yoga asanas at Rajpath.

7.00 am: Prime Minister Narendra Modi joins others as the event begins.

6.59 am: "It is not a celebration confined to today, this is the beginning," says Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

6.58 am: We are training the human mind to begin a new era of peace, says PM Modi.

6.57 am: PM Modi says "yoga is not just about flexibility of body, it is much more than that".

6.56 am: We need to move towards a peaceful and stress-free life, says the Prime Minister.

6.55 am: "Everything is moving ahead with pace, but we cannot afford to lag behind. It will spoil everything," said PM Modi.

6.50 am: Addressing the gathering at the Rajpath, Prime Minister Narendra Modi says, "Did anyone ever think that Rajpath will one day become 'Yoga path'?

6.45 am: Yoga guru Baba Ramdev and other dignitaries greet Prime Minister Narendra Modi as he arrives on the stage for the grand event at Rajpath.

6.30 am: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Deputy CM Manish Sisodia arrive for the event at Rajpath.