Indian yoga guru BKS Iyengar, who helped popularise yoga around the world and wrote 17 books on the subject, has died aged 95.

Bellur Krishnamachar Sundararaja Iyengar died today, according to his website.

His death was also reported on major Indian TV stations, which said he had been taken to hospital with a kidney ailment over the past week in the western city of Pune.

President Pranab Mukherjee mourned Iyengar's death, saying "the nation has lost a personality who devoted his entire life to the teaching and dissemination of India's ancient knowledge and wisdom to millions all around the world".

He created his own brand of yoga, called Iyengar yoga, and established studios in 72 countries.