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Yoga is the ancient traditions of life style started in India nearly 5000 years ago. Yoga unites mind, body and spirit. People around the world now accepting the age old practice to remain fit not only physically but mentally as well. The United Nations announced 21 June as the International Day of Yoga back in 2015. The first International Day of Yoga was observed in New Delhi.
Yoga is getting popular in the Gulf Countries as well. Behind this popularity one name is quite synonyms, i.e Shka. Shaikha Ali Jaber Al-Sabah. Recently she conferred with Padma Shri by Indian Government. President Droupadi Murmu presented the prestigious award to Al-Sabah in a grand function at the Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi.
Shka. Shaikha Ali Jaber Al-Sabah is the founder of Daratma for Yoga Education, Kuwait’s first officially licensed yoga studio. She is a lifelong meditator and yoga practitioner. A humanitarian, she has dedicated her life to serving her family, community and the world and has been working for bridging cultures and bringing people together through her many charitable endeavors.
Born on 8 November, 1976, Shka. Shaikha Al-Sabah’s lifelong mission is her th advocacy for wellness, particularly through meditation and cultivating awareness. She is credited with establishing Kuwait’s first licensed yoga studio in 2014, Daratma. The studio’s name combines the Arabic word Dar (home) and Sanskrit Atma (soul), symbolizing a home for the soul and reflecting a cultural bridge between Kuwait and India. A pioneer in wellness education in the country, her efforts led Kuwait’s Ministry of Commerce & Industry to introduce an official yoga education license, a policy change that made wellness instruction a formally recognized and accessible enterprise in Kuwait.
This milestone not only legitimized wellness studios but also integrated holistic health into the fabric of Kuwait’s educational and commercial regulations. Her pioneering efforts have paved the way for other practitioners and teachers to open their own legally recognized studios, fostering the growth of the wellness industry in Kuwait.
Beyond studio teaching, Shka. Shaikha Al-Sabah has focused on youth wellness education. In 2015, she co-founded the Shems Youth Yoga program, helping develop a curriculum for children aged 0-14 to learn mindfulness and self-awareness. Through this same initiative, she spearheaded local relief efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic by distributing educational supplies to underprivileged children in Kuwait, aiding students to continue their learning despite school disruptions.
Shka. Shaikha Al-Sabah is well known for being at the forefront of wellness promotion in the Gulf, fostering greater awareness of holistic health and strengthening cultural ties between India and Kuwait.
The Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi personally met her and commended her efforts during his visit to Kuwait in December 2024. Government of India announced in January 2025 to confer upon her the Padma Shri award for her distinguished service in promoting wellness. She is the first Kuwaiti national ever to receive a Padma award.
