Opinion | They Snatched My Childhood: A Heartbreaking Story of Loss and Resilience

They Snatched My Childhood is a nonfiction book written by Sajid Yousuf Shah. It’s a heart-rending tragedy, loss, and the tenacity of human spirit. With raw emotion and honesty, it is both a memoir and an appeal to call people to rise against the abhorrent violence and injustice prevalent in so many lives around the world.

The book chronicles the life of Sajid, who lost his mother in a ruthless terror attack when he was just 8 years old. His mother, along with his uncle, were killed in his native village of Sogam Lolab in district Kupwara, of Jammu and Kashmir. The incident left Sajid and his family’s dreams shattered and traumatized.
His early years forced Sajid to mature and assume responsibility as a breadwinner in his family. He worked really hard to bring income to the family, faced a lot of struggles and overcame many barriers along the way. However, in all that he never forgot to be a writer, using those experiences as the fuel that lit up the fire in him for storytelling.
The book powerfully indicts the violence and oppression that many people live with daily; it lays bare the horror of terrorism as well as the devastating toll this takes on innocent lives, deep-seated prejudices, and injustices that underpin a lot of the world’s conflicts. Sajid’s story is such a reminder that tragedy can strike anyone, anywhere, and we all have the responsibility of standing up for what is right and just.
They Snatched My Childhood is also a story of hope and strength. Despite the unimaginable pain and loss Sajid had to bear, he never lost hope in his dreams or determination to make a better life for himself and his family. His courage and spirit are an inspiration to all of us, reminding us that there is always hope and possibility, even in the darkest of times.
They Snatched My Childhood is a must-read for anyone who cares about social justice, human rights, and dignity.
Sajid’s story reminds us all in a powerful way that human strength and strength exist. Let us, each of us, honour his mother and uncle by standing against terrorism, prejudice, and injustice—our actions helping us to create a better world, a more compassionate one, for everyone.
The revised edition of the book was published by Forever Shinnings Publication and was brought out last week on Amazon, Flipkart, Google Play Store, and all other platforms.

Irfan is an activist based in Srinagar and a student of cybersecurity. He can be reached at askirfanattari@gmail.com