JEDDAH.In the heart of the Arabian desert, yoga is weaving its magic, uniting Saudis and expatriates in a shared quest for harmony. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during a recent visit to Jeddah, couldn’t hide his delight. “It’s heartwarming to see yoga weave into lives here,” he told Nouf Al Marwaai, praising its role in refreshing mind and body. He added that its warm embrace in Arabia soil brings joy to every Indian. On the sidelines of his official state visit to Saudi Arabia, Mr Modi met with Al Marwaai, the trailblazing Saudi woman behind the Arab Yoga Foundation, in Jeddah.
In a lively 25-minute chat with Al Marwaai, Modi cheered Saudi Arabia’s love for yoga and promised to back its growth. Speaking to Saudi Updates after their meeting, Al Marwaai shared how the foundation has sparked a yoga craze among young people across Saudi Arabia and the Gulf, turning yoga into a regional sensation.
Modi lauded Saudi Arabia’s efforts to promote yoga, pledging support for training initiatives to fuel its growth. He also asked Al Marwaai about the upcoming Asian Yogasana Championship in Fujairah, UAE, next month, showing keen interest in her leadership of the federation. “Your work inspires,” he told her, acknowledging her role in embedding yoga in Saudi school curriculum, according to Al Marwaai in a chat with the Saudi Updates.
Al Marwaai, the first Arabian to receive India’s prestigious Padma award, felt energized by Modi’s unwavering encouragement. A clinical psychology graduate, she began practicing yoga at 19, tamed even the toughest poses of Hatha Yoga with grace embracing Ayurveda’s wisdom from Kerala’s roots. Her passion has sown these traditions in Saudi soil, and she’s eager to cultivate more. “The Prime Minister’s words push me to dream bigger,” she said, looking ahead to the UAE championship where new dreams for yoga’s future will unfold.