At 17, Kairav Mittal is turning his personal experience with yoga into a community initiative in Crewe, Virginia. The Indian American teenager is teaching residents the benefits of breathing exercises and mindfulness through Project Root, an effort he hopes will make wellness more accessible in a community he believes needs more resources.
Mittal began practicing yoga at 12, initially reluctant to embrace the discipline. Over time, however, consistent practice helped him recognize its benefits and inspired him to share what he had learned with others.
His decision to start teaching in Crewe came after spending several summers in the community, including working in the food service industry and interning at the town hall. Those experiences gave him a closer look at the town’s limited access to health and wellness facilities and encouraged him to find a way to contribute.
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For residents, the classes offer an opportunity to explore yoga beyond physical exercise. David Clements, who has lived in the area for years, said the practice helps people understand their bodies and breathing.
“It’s an amazing practise because you learn to understand your body, how it feels,” he said.
Jess, a Crewe resident of 14 years, described the community as a “health desert” and said Project Root could offer opportunities for stress relief, physical activity and mental health support. After attending a class, she said she felt “refreshed and relaxed” and planned to return.
In an exclusive interview with The American Bazaar, Mittal discussed his journey into yoga, why he chose Crewe for his initiative and how he plans to expand Project Root through children’s classes and a free digital platform.
From a reluctant 12-year-old to a young instructor
Mittal’s introduction to yoga began under Master Kamal, who practices the Himalayan tradition of yoga. Although he initially struggled to connect with the discipline, regular practice gradually changed his perspective.
“My name is Kairav. I’m 17 years old, and I began practicing yoga at the age of 12 under Master Gamal, who teaches the Himalayan tradition of yoga. As a 12-year-old, I didn’t find much value in it and thought it was a waste of time. But as I became more consistent and practiced every day, I began to experience the benefits of yoga and mindfulness [which became] the reason I wanted to teach it.”
The benefits he experienced became the motivation behind Project Root. Mittal wanted to share the practice with people who might not have the same opportunities or resources to explore wellness.
“At such a young age, I’ve experienced so many benefits from yoga. Sharing those benefits with people who might not have as many resources as I do and being someone who can teach them is what drives me to do this.”
Rather than waiting until he was older to begin teaching, Mittal decided to use his experience to make a difference in a community he already knew.
Why he chose Crewe
Mittal’s connection to Crewe developed through his work in the town, including a restaurant job and a summer internship at the town hall. During that time, he became aware of what he saw as gaps in access to health and wellness resources.
He said the lack of a central gym and public spaces where people could discuss health and feelings influenced his decision to start Project Root there.
“I started working in the food service industry at a restaurant there. Then, during the summer two years ago, I worked as an intern at the town hall. Spending time there over the summers, I realized that the town has been described as a health desert, and I could see that with my own eyes. There’s no central gym and no open space to talk about feelings and health. The community isn’t as focused on health as some other places. I kept that in mind when deciding where to teach first. Crewe has given me a lot through the work I’ve done there, so I thought I should give something back.”
For Mittal, the initiative became a way to return something to a community that had given him valuable experiences.
“I figured what better place to start than Crewe so that’s what brought me there teaching and I kind of took that and ran with it. I haven’t looked back since. I think that teaching at Crewe has been very meaningful to me.”
His approach centers on bringing a wellness activity directly to residents rather than requiring them to seek out opportunities elsewhere.
Growing community support
Starting classes at 17 was initially nerve-wracking for Mittal. However, he said residents welcomed him, and attendance grew during the first few weeks as participants began spreading the word.
“I only had about three or four people and then, the next week that turned into six, and the week after that turned into nine. Ever since more people [began] telling each other about it in the community, started showing up and the support after classes has been so special to me. Seeing a kid teaching them and then coming up to him after, telling him he’s doing a great job and that the community appreciates him has been so heartwarming. I can’t thank the community enough.”
The encouragement has been particularly meaningful because he initially worried about leading a class at such a young age. The experience has also shown him how small improvements can motivate participants to continue.
“I think that they have given me far more than I’ve given them but I still try to do as much as I can. I know that people come in on the first week sometimes they struggle with some postures. I know that they keep showing up and by week seven they’re sitting more comfortably as simple as when we’re doing our breath work in a seated position their knees are lower to the ground.”
For Mittal, progress is not limited to mastering difficult poses. Becoming more comfortable with the practice and returning consistently are also important parts of the experience.
“We’re grateful to Kairav for volunteering his time and talents to offer free yoga classes to Crewe’s young people. His generosity is a wonderful example of the community collaboration at the heart of our Virginia Foundation for Healthy Youth grant and HEAL Crewe initiative,” said Phil Miscovic, town manager at the town of Crewe.
“As we work to revitalize Crewe, we’re focused not just on buildings, infrastructure, and economic development, but on the whole health of our community. Through our Healthy Communities Action Team, we’re bringing people together to promote physical and mental well-being, encourage healthy habits, and create a stronger community for the next generation.”
Challenging perceptions about yoga
Mittal believes his age can help challenge the perception that yoga is primarily for older adults. By teaching people across age groups, he hopes to demonstrate that the practice can be accessible to anyone willing to try it.
“I think it’s all about perspective. For younger people, seeing a young person teaching and leading a class can be very helpful because there’s stigma on both sides. On one hand, young people may think yoga is only for old people, so they might be more inclined to learn and practice if they see me doing it. The same goes for older people, who don’t necessarily want to be seen as old. They might also think yoga is only for really old people. If they see a young person doing it, they can realize that yoga is for everyone and beneficial for everyone. So that’s my main goal in starting so early.”
Alongside in-person teaching, Mittal has developed RootBreath, a free digital platform that includes a pranayama app designed to help people practice breathing exercises and mindfulness whenever they choose.
“Additionally I think being younger has other advantages. I’ve kind of developed an app for people that they can access anytime called root breath. It helps people practise mindfulness whenever they want.”
The app allows him to extend the initiative beyond scheduled classes and reach people who may not be able to attend in person.
Why breathing matters
Although yoga is commonly associated with physical postures, Mittal believes breathing is an equally important part of the practice. His classes combine movement with breathing exercises, encouraging participants to focus on how they breathe rather than concentrating solely on performing poses.
“I think that the biggest misconception about yoga is that it’s all about the postures. That is what most people think. I don’t think that’s entirely true though. I think that just as big a part of it is the breath which is mostly what I focus on in my classes in crew is using breath as a tool as opposed to just postures. Don’t get me wrong I think that the stretching and the postures are really important.”
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He sees breathing exercises as a way for participants to develop greater awareness and carry what they learn into their everyday routines.
One of the key takeaways he hopes participants will gain from his class is that “breath is the key.”
“Breathing is what matters so you can have as many postures as you want but if you’re not breathing in when you’re supposed to and breathing out you won’t get as much benefit as just going through the postures.”
The emphasis on breathing also shapes RootBreath, which provides a digital resource for people who want to practice independently.
Expanding Project Root to children and other communities
Mittal sees Project Root as a long-term initiative rather than a temporary summer activity. He hopes to expand its reach and create more opportunities for community engagement.
“Project ROOT means so much to me. I think it’s very important for places like crew specifically in a place like crew where there aren’t as many public parks, green spaces, free places. Project ROOT I’m quote unquote laying the roots that crew could use more community engagement.”
One of the next steps is Yoga for Young Roots, a monthly program for children ages 3 to 12. Supported by a Healthy Coalition Action Team grant from the Virginia Foundation for Healthy Youth, the program is being organized in partnership with the Town of Crewe and the Nottoway County Library System.
The sessions will feature age-appropriate activities, including breathing exercises, simple yoga poses and short relaxation practices. Each session will be limited to 12 children.
Mittal said he also wants to develop Project Root beyond its current activities and make its resources available to more communities.
“I think that project ROOT is not just something that I want to do over a few summers. I know that I want to expand it. It’s starting already so I am planning to teach yoga classes in the Nottoway County Library for kids as part of a grant that crew’s been approved.”
He has also built rootbreath.org, a community wellness website featuring the RootBreath app, information about Project Root and participant experiences.
“Additionally I have also built ROOT Breath. It’s a free pranayama app that anyone can access at any time with any device so it’s short steps right now but I know that it’s that I care so much about and I want to bring it to other communities as well.”
For Mittal, the classes and digital platform are connected by a common goal: making wellness more accessible, regardless of age or location.
As Project Root grows, he hopes to bring the initiative to other communities while continuing to build on the relationships he has established in Crewe. His immediate focus remains local, using yoga and breathing exercises to create opportunities for residents to learn, connect and make wellness part of their daily lives.