International Yoga Day is being observed on 21 June for the second year running, and none other than Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi led from the front in celebrating the day. The United Nations had declared this day after Modi suggested it to the 69th UN General Assembly in September 2014. He had pitched for 21 June to be reserved for the celebrations as it is the longest day of the year in the northern hemisphere. The day has since become a mass people's movement.

Modi performed yoga along with over 30,000 people in the northern Indian city of Chandigarh. To commemorate the day, he released postage stamps in yogic postures called Surya Namaskar. He also announced the introduction of two awards to be rolled out from 2017, for the best contribution to Yoga internationally, and within India. To mark International Yoga Day 2016, IBTimes UK has compiled the best images of people practising yoga around the world.

World Yoga Day
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi (centre wearing white) is joined by thousands of participants in the northern Indian city of Chandigarh, to perform yoga to celebrate World Yoga Day on 21 June 2016 REUTERS/Ajay Verma
World Yoga Day
Participants in the western Indian city of Ahmedabad perform yoga on International Yoga Day REUTERS/Amit Dave
World Yoga Day
A student from Srinagar in Jammu and Kashmir performs yoga to mark the occasion REUTERS/Danish Ismail
World Yoga Day
Participants perform yoga during the second World Yoga Day on 21 June 2016 in capital New Delhi REUTERS/Adnan Abidi
World Yoga Day
Participants perform yoga during World Yoga Day in Connaught Place in New Delhi REUTERS/Adnan Abidi
World Yoga Day
Narendra Modi (centre in white) performs yoga during World Yoga Day celebrations in Chandigarh REUTERS/Ajay Verma
World Yoga Day
Participants perform yoga in New Delhi REUTERS/Adnan Abidi
World Yoga Day
A Muslim student performs yoga in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir REUTERS/Danish Ismail
World Yoga Day
Modi along with other participants in Chandigarh REUTERS/Ajay Verma
World Yoga Day
Hundreds participate in a mass yoga event in front of the Sydney Opera House on World Yoga Day in Australia REUTERS/Jason Reed
World Yoga Day
Hundreds of people participated in a mass yoga event in front of the Sydney Opera House on World Yoga Day REUTERS/Jason Reed
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Another participant performs yoga on a mat in New Delhi REUTERS/Adnan Abidi
World Yoga Day
People perform yoga at a glass sightseeing platform ahead of the International Day of Yoga, on the outskirts of Beijing, China REUTERS/Stringer
World Yoga Day
20 June 2016: People practise yoga at a tourist spot ahead of the International Day of Yoga, on the outskirts of Beijing, China China Daily/via REUTERS
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Yoga practitioners mark World Yoga Day for the first time on top of the Sydney Harbour Bridge at sunrise Sydney BridgeClimb/Handout via REUTERS
World Yoga Day
Participants perform yoga during World Yoga Day in Kathmandu, Nepal REUTERS/Navesh Chitrakar
World Yoga Day
A participant performs yoga during World Yoga Day in Kathmandu, Nepal REUTERS/Navesh Chitrakar
World Yoga Day
Hundreds participate in a mass yoga event in front of the Sydney Opera House on World Yoga Day in Sydney, Australia REUTERS/Jason Reed
World Yoga Day
People practise yoga together ahead of World Yoga Day in Zhenjiang, Jiangsu Province, China REUTERS/Stringer
World Yoga Day
20 June 2016: People take shelter under a mat as it rains at one of the venues of yoga camp on the eve of World Yoga Day in Chandigarh REUTERS/Ajay Verma
World Yoga Day
20 June 2016: People practise yoga together ahead of World Yoga Day in Zhenjiang, Jiangsu Province, China REUTERS/Stringer
World Yoga Day
19 June 2016: People perform yoga ahead of the 2nd International Yoga Day in Minsk, Belarus REUTERS/Vasily Fedosenko
World Yoga Day
19 June 2016: Participants from Minsk, Belarus do a yoga posture during an event to celebrate International Yoga Day REUTERS/Vasily Fedosenko
World Yoga Day
19 June 2016: People do yoga during a public event in Minsk, Belarus to commemorate International Yoga Day REUTERS/Vasily Fedosenko
World Yoga Day
20 June 2016: A health worker fumigates one of the venues of yoga camp on the eve of World Yoga Day in Chandigarh, India REUTERS/Ajay Verma
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16 June 2016: Students practise yoga during a training session ahead of World Yoga Day in Ahmedabad, India REUTERS/Amit Dave
World Yoga Day
19 June 2016: Students perform yoga during full dress rehearsal ahead of World Yoga Day in Ahmedabad, India REUTERS/Amit Dave
World Yoga Day
19 June 2016: People practise yoga during an open air yoga event organised by the city government at Reforma Avenue in Mexico City ahead of International Yoga Day REUTERS/Henry Romero
World Yoga Day
16 June 2016: Students practise yoga during a training session ahead of World Yoga Day in Ahmedabad, India REUTERS/Amit Dave
World Yoga Day
15 June 2016: A man works at one of the venues of a yoga camp ahead of World Yoga Day in Ahmedabad, India REUTERS/Amit Dave