Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa

Shaikh Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa was born on October 10, 1894, in Muharraq. Ascending the throne in February 1942 during the height of World War II, he managed severe food shortages and rationing through energetic leadership and social assistance programs.

In the postwar boom, Shaikh Salman modernized Bahrain's social infrastructure. In 1957, he opened the state-of-the-art Salmaniya Hospital, establishing free universal healthcare for all residents. He constructed the Mina Salman deepwater port, expanded free primary and secondary education for girls and boys, and introduced modern judicial and administrative reforms, paving the way for full sovereignty.