What happens when a village boy from Haryana learns Russian, studies medicine for 7.5 years in Belgorod, and comes back to India as a psychiatrist in a country that still calls them “pagalon ka doctor”?
In this episode of The Sharmin Ali Show, Dr. Nitish Bahalwalaopens up about studying and practicing psychiatry in Russia, clearing India’s brutal foreign medical exams, and why stigma around therapy in India is still so deep. He explains how culture and religion can both protect and damage our mental health, why perfectionism destroys peace of mind, and what really happens inside Indian families where the most stressed person becomes the “leader”.
If you’ve ever wondered why Indians don’t go to therapy, how to handle stress as a high performer, or whether faith and science can coexist in mental health, this conversation is for you.