Pulwama: Saraf Ali Bhat, who hails from a small town in Pulwama, has won the Global Readers’ Choice Award 2020 for a book titled ‘Triggered Sorrows’ about a student’s experience of living away from his family.
Saraf Ali is a 21-year-old engineering student from Kadabal locality, Pampore town in South Kashmir’s Pulwama district. Amid the adverse conditions of the valley for the past one year, he used all his energy and talent to write.
He has compiled two books– Triggered Sorrows and A Smile Worth a Billion Poems– one of which fetched him the Global Readers Award for 2020.
“My book, Triggered Sorrows was given an award by Global Reader’s Choice in the self-help category. I was recognised by the Indian Book of Records in May 2020,” Ali said in a conversation with ANI.
He has made his family proud as this is the first time that a young writer from Pampore has earned this distinction. He is currently pursuing BTech from SSM College, Srinagar.
Iqra Jan, cousin of Saraf, said, “I have been inspired by my brother and am happy for him. I also want to write a book like him one day. I didn’t know earlier how to deal with problems if you stay away from your family. But now after reading this book, I know.”
Ali started writing poems at an early age. “I thought of compiling them into a book when I was in Class 11. The book, A Smile Worth a Billion Poems, was my first and was appreciated by readers which encouraged me to write more,” he said.
He said his writing never affected his formal studies. He thanked his family, friends and readers for supporting him during the journey.
Saraf Ali says that Kashmiri youths have a lot of talent and only need the right exposure after which they will excel in every field.