Indian writer and activist Banu Mushtaq has made history by winning the 2025 International Booker Prize for her short story collection Heart Lamp. This marks the first time a Kannada-language work has received this prestigious award, and the first short story collection to do so.
A Groundbreaking Achievement
Heart Lamp, translated into English by Deepa Bhasthi, comprises 12 stories written between 1990 and 2023. The collection delves into the lives of women and girls in Muslim communities in southern India, exploring themes of gender, caste, faith, and resilience. The stories are noted for their “radical translation,” blending multiple English dialects to preserve the original Kannada’s cultural nuances.
At the award ceremony held at London’s Tate Modern on May 20, 2025, judges praised the book for offering “something genuinely new” to English readers. Chair of the judging panel, Max Porter, described it as “a radical translation that ruffles language to create new textures in a plurality of Englishes.”
Celebrating the Authors
Banu Mushtaq, a lawyer and women’s rights activist from Karnataka, expressed her gratitude, stating, “This moment feels like a thousand fireflies lighting a single sky – brief, brilliant and utterly collective.” She dedicated the award to the women whose stories inspired her writing.
Deepa Bhasthi, the translator, became the first Indian to win the International Booker Prize. She emphasized the importance of translating with an “accent,” aiming to retain the original’s cultural essence.
A Milestone for Kannada Literature
This victory is a significant milestone for Kannada literature, highlighting the global recognition of regional Indian languages. It underscores the importance of translating works to bridge cultural gaps and bring diverse narratives to a wider audience.
