Bothra’s Habuild is transforming wellness, one habit at a time

Born into a Gujarati-Marwari family in Nagpur, Saurabh Bothra seemed destined to follow the family business, his IIT pedigree a ticket to scaling new heights. But this twenty-something engineer with a yoga degree in hand saw life differently. With a mix of creative intuition and logical precision, he understood that true transformation starts within—and often, from the comfort of home.

Rooted in ancient wisdom—the four paths of yoga: karma (action), jnana (knowledge), bhakti (devotion), and kriya (energy)—Saurabh saw a way to break sedentary cycles through sustainable habits. Thus, Habuild was born—a fusion of “habit” and “build,” designed to make wellness effortless. Blending yogic insight with engineering precision, he set out to make health not just accessible but irresistible to the modern regular folks

A train ride to transformation

Serendipity often arrives as chance, waiting to be seized. For Saurabh Bothra, it came on a train ride from Banaras to Nagpur. Amid casual chatter, he overheard a passionate conversation about restoring a pond in Banaras and sparking social change. Intrigued, he approached the group, who identified themselves as advocates of yoga and meditation. They spoke of their mission to connect inner peace with action. “When your mind is calm,” one said, “helping others becomes effortless.”

During a stop in Nagpur, Saurabh arranged food for them, refusing payment at his mother’s insistence. In gratitude, the group gifted him a spot in their Sudarshan Kriya program. The five-day course in Banaras changed everything. For the first time in 20 years, Saurabh found mental peace, he slept better, and his lifelong asthma began to fade. Within months, he no longer needed an inhaler—a revelation for someone told it was permanent.

Yoga didn’t just transform his health; it unlocked his confidence. By his final year, he became the head convenor of IIT-BHU’s cultural fest—an achievement once unimaginable. Eager to share his experience, he began leading yoga sessions for juniors, realizing the power of community in sustaining habits.

The seeds of Habuild were sown here. What started as a chance encounter became a lifelong mission to bridge the gap between knowing yoga’s benefits and consistently practicing it. Drawing on his journey and studies during the pandemic, Saurabh created Habuild—a platform to help people integrate wellness into their daily lives.

How Habuild is changing lives

Gopinath Nambiar’s 750-day streak

Sixty-five-year-old Gopinath Nambiar’s 750-day journey with Habuild is a testament to transformation through discipline. Starting with a 22-day trial in January 2023, he turned fitness into a daily ritual. Each morning at 5:30 AM, he runs or walks 8 km, meditates, and engages in 75–90 minutes of intense workouts—pranayama, strength training, and stamina-building.

“Pranayama and meditation have been life-changing,” Gopinath says. Guided by Saurabh Bothra, he’s not just sticking to a routine—he’s redefining himself through consistent growth.

Sharmistha’s wellness journey

Sharmistha, a Life Coach and Somatic Experiencing Practitioner-in-training, experienced profound transformation with Habuild. Yoga and meditation improved her flexibility, stamina, and emotional calm. When she briefly paused her practice, the team’s encouragement reignited her commitment, solidifying her trust in Habuild’s habit-focused methods. Now, she passionately recommends it, inspiring even her house help, Sangeeta, to join the free 21-day session.

Transforming wellness with technology

Founded in 2020, Habuild has redefined wellness, growing from a few hundred to 6.8 million global members in just four years. By integrating Wati’s WhatsApp Business API, they tackled challenges like poor user engagement and high registration spam. Personalized onboarding, automated reminders, and seamless feedback transformed the customer journey, while referral chatbots drove acquisition with no marketing spend—over 90% of users joined through word-of-mouth.

This innovation led to a Guinness World Record for the largest virtual yoga session, with 599162 participants and 246252 live viewers. Habuild’s tech-powered approach has solidified its place as a global wellness leader.

“The only way to show your mind who’s really in control is through action. Your mind will always find another excuse tomorrow—that’s its job. But the smallest action today beats a thousand promises for tomorrow.”

–Saurabh Bothra

The heart of Habuild

Saurabh’s yoga journey began with discipline and precision, each session is carefully structured and technical. Yet, his mother never joined him—“Ghar ki murgi dal barabar,” as the saying goes. It wasn’t until the pandemic, when knee pain kept her from seeing a doctor that she finally asked him to teach her a few poses.

Rather than offering a quick fix, Saurabh insisted she practice with him. Initially, she wasn’t comfortable doing yoga in front of him, preferring the anonymity of online classes. They found a compromise, and the sessions began. After the first session, her feedback was blunt: she didn’t understand a thing.

Instead of feeling frustrated, Saurabh saw an opportunity to simplify his teaching. Slowly, through her daily feedback, his sessions evolved, turning into something even his mother could embrace. Yoga became more than just a practice—it became a shared experience.

Today, with 1.3 million YouTube subscribers, Habuild is not just a yoga program—it’s a thriving community. Over 1,000 days into her yoga journey, Saurabh’s mother remains his harshest critic and biggest motivator.

How Habuild stands out

In the competitive landscape of virtual wellness platforms, Habuild faces off against notable players like My YogaTeacher, Shvasa, and Yog4Lyf. These rivals each bring unique offerings, but Habuild’s focus on building personalized wellness journeys sets it apart. With no institutional or angel investors backing them, the founders—Anshul Agrawal, Saurabh Bothra, and Trishala Bothra—are charting their own course, preferring organic growth over external funding for now.

A Community beyond the mat

Habuild isn’t just a yoga program; it’s a community that weaves wellness into daily life. Each session follows a structured weekly flow:

• Monday: Long-held asanas for resilience
• Tuesday: Brisk walks and lower body strength
• Wednesday: Upper body balance and posture
• Thursday: Laughter yoga with abdominal exercises
• Friday: Surya Namaskar, ending in Savasana
• Saturday: Yoga Nidra and advanced breathing techniques
• Sunday: Face yoga and Patanjali Sutra teachings

Beyond yoga, Habuild offers mudra therapy, juice fasting workshops, mindfulness courses, and Surya Namaskar competitions.

On December 21, 2024, World Meditation Day, Habuild set a new world record with 287,711 participants in a virtual meditation session. With initiatives like a Kids’ Yoga Program, Habuild continues to nurture wellness from an early age.

The power of consistency

Saurabh’s mantra blends two powerful truths: physical fitness fuels a sharp mind, and consistency outweighs shortcuts. In a world chasing quick fixes, he believes true transformation comes from steady, deliberate effort—put the same energy into consistency, and the results will follow.

Saurabh Bothra told A Lotus In The Mud: “The only way to show your mind who’s really in control is through action. Your mind will always find another excuse tomorrow—that’s its job. But the smallest action today beats a thousand promises for tomorrow.”

For more information: www.habuild.in