Banu Mushtaq’s ‘Heart Lamp’ Shines Bright, Wins International Booker Prize

Banu Mushtaq, a renowned Kannada author, achieved a remarkable feat by winning the prestigious International Booker Prize 2025 for her short story collection, Heart Lamp. The news, announced on May 22, 2025, marked a significant moment for Indian literature. This collection, translated from Kannada by Deepa Bhasthi, explores the subtle acts of rebellion and challenges faced by ordinary Muslim women in South India, stories gathered over three decades. Heart Lamp delves into how unfair treatment against women unfolds in their daily lives, within homes and personal thoughts.

It was described as a “radical translation” by Max Porter, the head judge for the prize, who praised its ability to expand understanding of translation itself. This victory was particularly notable as it was only the second time a Kannada author had been recognized by the Booker, following U.R. Ananthamurthy’s nomination in 2013. Mushtaq, 77, is not just a writer but also a practicing lawyer and a long-time women’s rights activist in Karnataka. She was also involved in the “Bandaya” (rebel) literary movement that emerged after a period of emergency in India and worked as a reporter for a decade.

After her win, Mushtaq shared that her stories focused on how society and religion often demand unquestioning obedience from women, leading to cruelty. She emphasized that her “heart itself is my field of study,” drawing from both reported incidents and her own experiences. Her translator, Deepa Bhasthi, also made history as the first Indian translator to win the prize. Bhasthi described translation as an instinctive practice, noting that she had the freedom to choose which of Mushtaq’s stories to include in Heart Lamp. This win followed another Indian writer, Geetanjali Shree, who won the 2022 Booker Prize, further highlighting the rich literary talent emerging from India.

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