In Pics: How politicians celebrated maiden International Day of Yoga

India and several countries participated in the inaugural International Day of Yoga on Sunday June 21. The traditional ancient Indian exercise not only became an integral part of Indians, but millions of foreigners also observed the day, with full vigor and zeal, across the world.

In India, all the states were decked up to commemorate the maiden celebrations of the International Yoga Day. Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the mass yoga day celebrations at the Rajpath in the national capital.

Here let's take a look at how political leaders united together to spread awareness about yoga and its innumerable benefits:

PM Narendra Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi performs yoga along with thousands of others at a mass yoga session to mark the International Day of Yoga 2015 at Rajpath in New Delhi on Sunday.

PM Narendra Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi performs Kapalbhati pranayam along with thousands of others at a mass yoga session to mark the International Day of Yoga 2015 at Rajpath in New Delhi on Sunday.

PM Narendra Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi participates in a mass yoga session to mark the International Day of Yoga 2015 at Rajpath in New Delhi on Sunday.

PM Narendra Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi participates in a mass yoga session to mark the International Day of Yoga 2015 at Rajpath in New Delhi on Sunday.

PM Narendra Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi with school children attends a mass yoga session to mark the International Day of Yoga 2015 at Rajpath in New Delhi on Sunday.

PM Narendra Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi performs yoga along with thousands of others at a mass yoga session to mark the International Day of Yoga 2015 at Rajpath in New Delhi on Sunday.

PM Narendra Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressing a mass yoga session at Rajpath to mark the International Yoga Day 2015 in New Delhi on Sunday.

Rajnath Singh

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh performs anulom vilom pranayam at a mass yoga session to celebrate International Day of Yoga 2015 in Lucknow on Sunday.

Rajnath Singh

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh performs Yoga at a mass yoga session to celebrate International Day of Yoga 2015 in Lucknow on Sunday.

Ravi Shankar Prasad

Union Communications & Information Technology Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad performs Yoga at a mass yoga session to celebrate International Day of Yoga 2015 in Kolkata on Sunday.

Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi

Minister of State for Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi performs Yoga at a mass yoga session to celebrate International Day of Yoga 2015 in Faridabad on Sunday.

Meenakshi Lekhi

BJP MP Meenakshi Lekhi participates in a mass yoga session along with other yoga practitioners to mark the International Yoga Day 2015 at Rajpath in New Delhi on Sunday.

Gujarat CM Anandiben Patel

Gujarat Chief Minister Anandiben Patel performs Yoga during a mass yoga session on the International Day of Yoga 2015 at GMDC ground in Ahmedabad on Sunday.

Venkaiah Naidu

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Venkaiah Naidu and Yoga teacher Sadguru Jaggi Vasudev participate in a mass yoga session on the first International Yoga day at YMCA ground in Chennai on Sunday.

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal and Deputy CM Manish Sisodia

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Deputy chief Minister Manish Sisodia participate in a mass yoga session along with other yoga practitioners to mark the International Day of Yoga 2015 at Rajpath in New Delhi on Sunday.

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal and Deputy CM Manish Sisodia

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Deputy chief Minister Manish Sisodia participate in a mass yoga session along with other yoga practitioners to mark the International Day of Yoga 2015 at Rajpath in New Delhi on Sunday.

Delhi Lt Governor Najeeb Jung

Delhi Lt Governor Najeeb Jung attending the mass yoga session on the International Day of Yoga 2015 at Rajpath in New Delhi on Sunday.

Delhi Lt Governor Najeeb Jung

Children take selfie with Delhi Lt Governor Najeeb Jung at a mass yoga session to mark the International Day of Yoga 2015 at Rajpath in New Delhi on Sunday.

Shilpa Shetty

Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty Kundra performs Yoga during a mass yoga session to celebrate the 1st International Yoga Day in Bengaluru on Sunday.

Shilpa Shetty with Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty Kundra and Yoga Guru Vachanananda Swamiji take a selfie during a mass yoga session to celebrate the 1st International Yoga Day in Bengaluru on Sunday.

NCC cadets

NCC cadets participate in a Yoga session on International Day of Yoga at Bakshi Stadium in Srinagar on Sunday.

In Kolkata

School children perform Yoga at a mass yoga session to celebrate International Day of Yoga 2015 in Kolkata on Sunday.

Guinness World Records officials

Guinness World Records officials Marco Frigatta and Victoria Julie Tweedy during the Yoga Day event at Rajpath in New Delhi on Sunday.

President Pranab Mukherjee

President Pranab Mukherjee during inauguration of a mass Yoga event at Rashtrapati Bhavan to mark the International Yoga Day in New Delhi on Sunday.

Baba Ramdev and PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi exchanges greetings with Yoga guru Swami Ramdev during International Yoga Day event at Rajpath in New Delhi on Sunday.

Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar

Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar performs Yoga on International Yoga day at RVC Center in Meerut, UP on Sunday.

Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhra Raje

Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhra Raje perform Yoga during a mass yoga session on the International Day of Yoga 2015 in Jaipur on Sunday.

Union HRD Minister Smriti Irani

Union HRD Minister Smriti Irani speaks during a Yoga session on the occasion of International Yoga Day at Ridge in Shimla on Sunday.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis with Energy Minister Chandrshekhar Bawankule (R) performs yoga at mass yoga session International Day of Yoga 2015 in Nagpur, Maharashtra on Sunday.

Army personnel

Army personnel at a Yoga Session on International Yoga Day at Siachen Glacier on Sunday.

Army Chief, Air Chief Marshal, Naval Chief

Army Chief General Dalbir Singh Suhag, Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha and Naval Chief Admiral RK Dhowan at a mass yoga session on the International Day of Yoga 2015 at Rajpath in New Delhi on Sunday.

Yoga teachers

Yoga teachers perform for participants during a mass yoga session on the International Day of Yoga 2015 at Rajpath in New Delhi on Sunday.

Muslims take part in a mass yoga

Muslims take part in a mass yoga session to celebrate International Day of Yoga 2015 in Faridabad on Sunday.