An Interview with Dharna Tiku, Ayurvedic practitioner, Expat & Female Founder!
The Her Expat Life team recently spoke with Ayurvedic practitioner and female founder Dharna Tiku about her experiences living in an expat lifestyle and running a business.
1: Congratulations on opening ArujAyur, an Ayurvedic medicine healing centre. Can you
tell us why you opened this space and what you have experienced while being an
Ayurvedic practitioner?
Thank you so much! Being the founder of ArujAyur and an Ayurvedic Physician by profession, I
am also an Ayurvedic enthusiast by heart and am incredibly grateful for being able to help
people across the globe through Ayurveda. I have been extremely passionate about holistic
health and wellness and have practiced as an Ayurvedic physician for the last 14 years
including in several established Ayurvedic clinics in Singapore and in a Multi speciality hospitals
with an integrative medicine approach in India. I then started a business that focuses on this aspect of Ayurveda and Nutrition. At ArujAyur we offer personalised Ayurvedic consultations and find the best health & wellness practices for our clients and help them take proactive steps to improve their health and reduce their risk of illness.
While practicing Ayurveda I have come across thousands of patients with different health
issues. Initially it was challenging to manage with the minimum supplies of Ayurvedic
supplements, due to valid regulations. However, I did some research and revised my treasured
Ayurvedic texts and realised that many health conditions can be beautifully managed by
correcting the lifestyle and diet, since then my prescription includes diet and lifestyle guidelines
and helped my clients with multiple health issues like Eczema, Psoriasis, PCOD, digestive
disorders, metabolic disorders.
During my early years I also worked at a Multi speciality hospitals as a Medical Officer, with an
Integrative Ayurvedic set up in India. There I learnt and realised that Ayurveda compliments
mainstream medicine very well and speeds up the healing process of patients admitted to (ICU
and other departments) for different health conditions.
2: As a female expat originally from India and now living in Singapore, what have been
the biggest challenges you have faced so far, and how did you overcome them?
I came to Singapore soon after getting married and had no clarity on how long our stay was going
to be. It's been 15 years now and counting. I had no idea of how and where to start my
professional journey in Singapore as Ayurveda wasn't very well known at that time.
Willingness to adapt and be open-minded to new experiences and ways of life, has been key
for my personal and professional growth. Networking and building relationships with people,
joining wellness communities, being aware of and embracing cultural differences, and trying
new things are all important aspects of living in Singapore and have helped me connect with
people in a better way.
It has been an empowering journey so far. Expat living in Singapore can be a unique and
exciting experience.
3: What inspired you to open ‘ArujAyur’ in Singapore?
Starting a business that focuses on holistic wellness, Ayurveda, yoga, and preventive health
care is very fulfilling, meaningful and most of all close to my heart. Not only can ArujAyur help
people improve their health and well-being, but you can also make a positive impact on the
community. Preventive health care is a key aspect of Ayurveda and has been gaining recognition as a more effective approach to maintaining health and preventing illness in Singapore and across the
globe. People are more careful about their health and wellbeing now than ever before and have
realised the need for and importance of preventive healthcare.
The idea behind ArujAyur is to help people take charge of their health by taking proactive steps to
reduce their risk of illness.
Ayurveda sees each person as a unique combination of Doshas (Body Types), and that there
are different health practices advised that work better for each body type.
4: What is your