Irshad Hussain
Freelance Journalist
Irshad Hussain is an independent journalist based in Indian-Administered Kashmir. His work has published in The Independent, South Asia Today, The Hindu, The Wire, First Post, Asian Democracy, Article 14, Women Media Center and other publications. He holds a masters degree in Convergent Journalism from the Central University of Kashmir.
March 21, 2024
When Raja Begum heard an Indian had died in Ukraine, she collapsed to the ground, convinced it was her missing son - one of dozens of young men lured to Russia on the promise of jobs, then sent to fight in the Ukraine war.
"I can't stop thinking about the last message my son sent," said Begum, 60, who has not heard from the 31-year-old tech graduate since January - just weeks after he left the family's village in Indian-administered Kashmir to head to Moscow.