In the quiet village of Gund Khawaja Qasim in Singhpora, Pattan, far from the limelight of publishing houses and literary festivals, a young Kashmiri writer is slowly carving out his place in contemporary literature. Kais Abbas, still a student, has already stepped into the world of letters with a confidence that belies his age.
At a time when most of his peers are preoccupied with academics and career anxieties, Kais has chosen the pen as his tool of expression. His writing reflects both the intimacy of his Kashmiri roots and the urgency of global struggles. With his debut novel, The Blood of the Olive Trees, Kais has demonstrated that literature, even when born in small villages, can carry the weight of universal pain and hope.
A Student With a Pen
Kais Abbas is not a professional writer yet. He is a school student, juggling textbooks with manuscripts. But what makes him stand out is the discipline and seriousness he brings to his craft. Social media clips and local news interviews reveal a young man deeply thoughtful about his themes, aware of the power that words hold in shaping collective consciousness.
Writing, for him, is not just about storytelling. It is an act of witnessing. An act of solidarity. And above all, an act of courage.
Kais traces the beginning of his journey to a personal incident that left a lasting mark on him. At the time, he had been researching for a film project for nearly two years, but that effort gradually shifted into a novel. “That incident inspired me to write,” he reflects. Since then, he has not only embraced fiction but has also turned to poetry, which he began exploring in May last year.
The Blood of the Olive Trees: A Novel for Palestine
Kais’s debut work, The Blood of the Olive Trees, is being described as a “Kashmiri novel for Palestine.” The title itself evokes the olive groves of Palestine, long symbols of resilience and rootedness. In choosing this subject, Kais has stepped into a space where literature and activism meet.
For him, Palestine was not just a faraway struggle—it was a cause that demanded attention. He felt that silence within much of the Muslim community only deepened the injustice. “I wanted to build a narrative bridge between the struggles of Kashmir and Palestine,” Kais explains, “to show how pain and resilience are shared across borders.”
Beyond its story, Kais has pledged that all the proceeds from the book will be donated to Palestine. For him, the novel is not just literature but also a means of tangible solidarity, turning words into action.
The novel, still fresh to readers, positions him as part of a generation of Kashmiri writers who see their struggles as intertwined with those of people beyond their borders. Just as olive trees endure through drought and war, Kais’s narrative attempts to embody endurance, sacrifice, and survival.
Though details about its publication are still emerging, the work is already circulating on social media, sparking curiosity among readers both within and outside Kashmir.
Local Recognition, Growing Presence
Kais Abbas has already caught the attention of local media outlets and youth-oriented platforms such as JK Unheard. In interviews, he speaks with clarity about his passion for writing, the challenges of being a young author, and his dream of taking Kashmiri literature beyond the Valley’s borders.
His Instagram page (@kaisabbas.author) serves as his main platform for reaching readers. Through reels, captions, and updates, he shares glimpses of his journey, promoting his novel and connecting with an emerging audience of Kashmiri youth who see in him both a mirror and an inspiration.
Yet, his path as a writer has not been without struggles. Kais admits that the hardest part was not external obstacles, but internal ones. “The real challenge was finding a balance between my traumas and life problems,” he says. Writing, in his view, is both a relief and a burden: “It heals and destroys at the same time.”
A Young Voice in Kashmiri Literature
Kashmir has produced literary giants such as Akhtar Mohiuddin, Rehman Rahi, and Agha Shahid Ali. But the new generation of Kashmiri writers—writing in English, publishing independently, and finding audiences through digital platforms—faces different challenges. They lack established publishers, national visibility, and financial support.
Yet, it is precisely within these constraints that voices like Kais Abbas are flourishing. His choice to write about Palestine from Kashmir signals a literature of solidarity, one that does not see borders as limits but as bridges.
His greatest source of inspiration, however, comes from his late grandfather, Ghulam Ahmad Khawaja—a Zakir-e-Ahlebayt who instilled in him values of courage, morality, and compassion. Among global writers, he admires Franz Kafka as his favorite novelist, while Ahmad Faraz and Sir Muhammad Iqbal remain guiding lights in his poetry.
In doing so, he is part of a new Kashmiri literary wave that insists on relevance, resistance, and resonance.
The Road Ahead
Interestingly, The Blood of the Olive Trees is not Kais’s first completed novel. His earlier manuscript, The Man Who Watched Himself Burn, remains unpublished. Still, that first attempt gave him the confidence and creative maturity to refine his voice, leading to the work that now marks his official debut.
Kais Abbas is still at the beginning of his journey. Whether he continues writing fiction, explores poetry, or delves into essays, one thing is clear: his commitment to using literature as a form of testimony and connection will remain.
For now, his name may be known only in local circles and on social media feeds. But in time, if his pen keeps its promise, Kais Abbas could join the ranks of Kashmiri voices that speak not only for the Valley but for all those who struggle for dignity and freedom across the world.
Closing Note
From a small village in North Kashmir to the imagination of readers worldwide, Kais Abbas represents what literature has always stood for: the ability of a single voice to echo across mountains, borders, and silences. His journey has just begun, and it will be worth following closely.