The Kuwaiti Yoga practitioner H.E. Sheikha Shaikha Ali Al-Jaber Al-Sabah was awarded the Padma Shri award on Monday for her contribution to the field of Yoga globally. This marks the first Kuwaiti national to have received India’s highest civilian award this year. She is also one of the eight international recipients this year. The question everyone has at the moment is, who is Shaikha Ali Jaber Al-sabah? We find out.
The Rashtrapati Bhavan shared a post on X, saying, “President Droupadi Murmu presents Padma Shri in the field of Yoga to H.E. Shka. Shaikha Ali Jaber Al-Sabah. She is a keen yoga practitioner. She is the founder of Daratma for Yoga Education, Kuwait’s first officially licensed yoga studio. She has been working for bridging cultural gaps and bringing people together through her charitable activities.”
Check out the post here:
President Droupadi Murmu presents Padma Shri in the field of Yoga to H.E. Shka. Shaikha Ali Jaber Al-Sabah. She is a keen yoga practitioner. She is the founder of Daratma for Yoga Education, Kuwait’s first officially licensed yoga studio. She has been working for bridging… pic.twitter.com/y4H6WVAZQ0
— President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) April 28, 2025
Who is Shaikha Ali Jaber Al-sabah, the Kuwaiti national to have won Padma Shri award?
Shaikha Ali Jaber Al-sabah has been a meditator and yoga practitioner all her life. She founded the Daratma for Yoga Education, which is Kuwait’s first officially licensed yoga studio. Her lifelong efforts led the Ministry of Trade and Commerce to introduce a Yoga education license in Kuwait, which everyone can access now.
Al-sabah began her yoga journey in 2001. She founded the yoga studio in 2014. The studio, Daratma, also has a profound meaning. Dar, an Arabic and Quranic word, means ‘home’ or ‘dwelling’ and Atma, a Sanskrit word, means ‘immortal soul’. The name reflects her mission and vision for life.
Al-Sabah dedicated her life not only to yoga, but also to humanitarian work. She has been working to bridge the cultural divides and bring communities together through various charitable initiatives that she is a part of. In 2021, she started a fundraising program, Yomnak lil Yaman, to assist Yemeni refugees and people who are internally displaced.
Shaikha Ali Jaber Al-sabah’s global work
Al-Sabah is known for her work not just in Kuwait, but also globally. In the past, she organised Reiki Jin Kei Do master training sessions and consciousness training sessions at the Monroe Institute in the USA.
She also played a key role during the COVID-19 pandemic. She took up the responsibility of distributing educational supplies to underprivileged children in Kuwait, thus staying true to her commitment towards welfare of the community.
When Prime Minister Narendra Modi lauded Shaikha Ali Jaber Al-sabah’s work
On December 22, 2024, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had met Sabah when he was in Kuwait. Together, they discussed how they could make yoga more popular among the youth.
After their meeting, PM Modi shared a post on X, saying, “Met HH Shaikha AJ Al-Sabah in Kuwait. She has distinguished herself for her passion towards Yoga and fitness. She has established her own Yoga and wellness studio, which is quite popular in Kuwait. We talked about ways to make Yoga more popular among the youth.”
Check out the post here:
President Droupadi Murmu presents Padma Shri in the field of Yoga to H.E. Shka. Shaikha Ali Jaber Al-Sabah. She is a keen yoga practitioner. She is the founder of Daratma for Yoga Education, Kuwait’s first officially licensed yoga studio. She has been working for bridging… pic.twitter.com/y4H6WVAZQ0
— President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) April 28, 2025
India’s highest civilian honour, the Padma Shri recognises exceptional service in various fields, including art, social work, public affairs, science and engineering, trade and industry, medicine, literature, education, sports, and civil service.