Mohamad Junaid, a Kashmiri student in Delhi, on growing up back home:

We were taught poems by Sarojini Naidu, Rabindranath Tagore, and Shelley; but heard about Habba Khatun, Mehjoor, and Rasul Mir, only from grandparents. Only later could we realise the significance of how some of us had become insensitive to themes of resistance couched in the language of communitarian and religious symbolism.

This one is more touching than discourse-altering:

I spoke of my school, and saw him sitting on the chair next to me. I spoke of swimming in a river nearby, and saw him emerge from under the water. I spoke of the school trip to Banihal Tunnel, and felt him tugging at my sleeve, as if pleading to pull him along on the climb up the hill. I spoke of cuddling close during early morning prayers on the chilly winter days, and felt the warmth of his bare arm against mine.