From Economics to Enlightenment: Rajeev Balasubramanyam on Writing and Healing

What happens when a rational economist is forced to confront what logic can’t solve—grief, ego, and the longing for love?

In this episode, host Mohua is joined by Rajeev Balasubramanyam, whose acclaimed novel Professor Chandra Follows His Bliss traces the journey of a Cambridge economist stumbling his way toward healing and inner peace.

Rajeev reflects on addiction, ego, and identity, and how fiction became a vessel for transformation. From childhood shame to adult spirituality, from Eastern philosophy to Western therapy, this conversation moves between the deeply personal and the universally human.

They explore how satire turned into sincerity, why writing about fathers and broken families can be freeing, and how time at a spiritual fellowship reshaped Rajeev’s ideas of happiness and pain.

If you’ve ever tried to think your way out of heartache—or wondered what it really takes to change—this one’s for you.

Key Topics

• How Professor Chandra began as satire and became a story of transformation.
• Fiction as a space to explore shame, addiction, and family inheritance.
• Writing difficult fathers as a path to healing.
• Sobriety, ego, and creative clarity.
• Lessons from a silent spiritual fellowship.
• Resistance to growth—on and off the page.
• The role of humour in healing.
• Balancing Eastern spirituality and Western therapy.
• Belonging, identity, and “the good immigrant.”
• Writing as an ongoing act of compassion and letting go.

Connect with Us

Mohua Chinappa: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mohua-chinappa/

The Literature Lounge: https://www.themohuashow.com/the-literature-lounge/

Connect with Rajeev Balasubramanyam

Rajeev Balasubramanyam: https://x.com/Rajeevbalasu

Follow Us

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheLiteratureLounge_TLL

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/litlounge_pod/

For any other queries, email

hello@themohuashow.com

Chapters:

00:00 Highlights

00:55 Exploring Bliss and Shame

02:11 Inspiration Behind Professor Chandra

04:11 Settings and Symbolism in the Novel

06:45 Addiction and Family Dynamics

09:11 The Journey to Self-Love

11:38 Confrontation and Ego

13:31 Vulnerability and Forgiveness

16:03 Generational Conflicts and Healing

22:05 Following Bliss and Family Legacy

26:43 Breaking the Cycle of Shame in South Asian Families

22:58 The Connection Between Shame and Violence

30:42 Inner Child Work and Healing from Shame

34:14 Mindfulness and Self-Awareness in Relationships

37:31 Letting Go of Desires and Attachments

40:49 The Ongoing Journey of Personal Growth

43:18 Influential Books and Advice for Young Writers

Disclaimer

The views expressed by our guests are their own. We do not endorse and are not responsible for any views expressed by our guests on our podcast and its associated platforms.

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