Yoga Guru B K S Iyengar passes away

Pune: World-renowned Yoga guru B.K.S. Iyengar, who founded the 'Iyengar Yoga' died at a private hospital here early on Wednesday, an aide said. He was 96. A widower, he was suffering from age-related ailments and breathed his last around 3.15 am. The funeral was late in the day.

Author of several books on Yoga, its practice and techniques, Iyengar was conferred the Padma Shri in 1991, the Padma Bhushan in 2002 and Padma Vibhushan in 2014 and was in 2004 named one of Time magazine's 100 most influential personalities, among his many other national and international honours.

In a condolence message to his son, Prashant Iyengar, President Pranab Mukherjee said: "I am deeply saddened to learn about the passing away of BKS Iyengar." "Iyengar was well-known as one of the foremost yoga teachers in the world. He is credited with establishing and popularising modern yoga first in India and then across the world. He created a unique school of yoga popularly known as 'Iyengar Yoga' and authored several books on yoga practice and philosophy which are considered authoritative texts used by practitioners, young and old," the President said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled Iyengar's death and said he would be remembered as a fine guru and scholar. "I am deeply saddened to know about yogacharya BKS Iyengar's demise and offer my condolences to his followers all over the world," Modi tweeted.