Banu Mushtaq's Heart Lamp is first Kannada title to bag International Booker; K'taka CM, Shashi Tharoor laud historic win

Heart Lamp, a collection of short stories by Kannada author Banu Mushtaq, has made history by becoming the first Kannada work, and the first short story collection, to win the prestigious International Booker Prize. The award was announced at a ceremony at the Tate Modern in London on May 20, 2025.

How did the appreciation sound on a global stage?

Translated into English by Deepa Bhasthi and published by Penguin, Heart Lamp marks a milestone for Kannada literature on the global stage. Chair of judges Max Porter described the book as ¡°genuinely new for English readers,¡± calling it ¡°a radical translation that ruffles language to create new textures in a plurality of Englishes.¡± He added that the stories, rooted in Kannada and interspersed with other dialects, expand the understanding of what translation can achieve.

¡°Heart Lamp explores themes of women¡¯s lives, reproductive rights, faith, caste, and power with exceptional depth,¡± said Porter. ¡°This was the book the judges really loved from the first reading.¡±

VIDEO | Writer, activist and lawyer Banu Mushtaq's short story collection 'Heart Lamp' on Tuesday night became the first Kannada title to win the coveted GBP 50,000 International Booker Prize in London.

(Source: AFP/PTI)
(Full video available on PTI Videos -¡­ pic.twitter.com/eRjdZEr4lw

¡ª Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) May 21, 2025

Mushtaq, an advocate, journalist, and social activist based in Karnataka, accepted the award to a standing ovation. ¡°This prize shows the true potential of the Kannada language and what it can achieve when translated,¡± she told TOI. ¡°There is a need to bring more and more Kannada works to readers around the world.¡±

She added, ¡°This is not individual recognition. It¡¯s recognition of teamwork.¡± Reflecting on her journey, Mushtaq said, ¡°Life is amazing ¡ª from travelling in bullock carts to standing on this global stage.¡±

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah calls it ¡®Kannada¡¯s pride¡¯

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah congratulated Mushtaq: ¡°Heartfelt congratulations to Kannada¡¯s pride, author Banu Mushtaq, who has been awarded the International Booker Prize. This is a moment of celebration for Kannada, Kannadigas, and Karnataka. Banu Mushtaq, who embodies and writes with the true values of this land, has raised the flag of Kannada's greatness on the international stage and brought honour to all of us.¡±

He also praised translator Deepa Bhasthi for her contribution to the book¡¯s success: ¡°On behalf of all Kannadigas, I also extend congratulations to the talented writer Deepa Bhasthi, who translated Banu Mushtaq's Booker Prize-winning work Hridaya Deepa into English Heart Lamp¡±.

Heartfelt congratulations to Kannada¡¯s pride, author Banu Mushtaq, who has been awarded the International Booker Prize. This is a moment of celebration for Kannada, Kannadigas, and Karnataka.

Banu Mushtaq, who embodies and writes with the true values of this land, which is¡­ pic.twitter.com/yKhxUNZ2ax

¡ª Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) May 21, 2025

Congress MP and author Shashi Tharoor also tweeted: ¡°Congratulations to Kannada writer Banu Mushtaq on winning the International Booker Prize for her short story collection ¡®Heart Lamp¡¯. Another triumph for Indian writing, a celebration of diversity & of the writer¡¯s belief that ¡°no story is ever too small¡±.

What is Heart Lamp all about?

Heart Lamp contains twelve short stories originally written between 1990 and 2023, capturing the lives of women and girls in patriarchal communities of southern India. The stories reflect Mushtaq¡¯s decades of activism for women¡¯s rights and against caste- and religion-based oppression. The collection¡¯s characters range from resilient grandmothers and spirited children to troubled families and hapless men, offering vivid snapshots of everyday life under social constraints.

About Banu Mushtaq

Banu Mushtaq began writing in the 1970s as part of the Bandaya Sahitya (protest literature) movement in southwestern India. One of the few Muslim women in this space, she became known for her sharp critique of caste, class, and gender hierarchies. Her body of work includes six short-story collections, a novel, essays, and poetry. She has previously received the Karnataka Sahitya Academy and Daana Chintamani Attimabbe awards.

Banu Mushtaq and Deepa Bhasthi | Credits: thebookersprize.com

About Deepa Bhasthi

Deepa Bhasthi is a writer and translator based in Kodagu, Karnataka. Her work spans cultural criticism and literary translation. She has previously translated works by Kota Shivarama Karanth and Kodagina Gouramma. Her translation of Heart Lamp received the English PEN¡¯s ¡®PEN Translates¡¯ award and has now earned her the distinction of being the first Indian translator to win the International Booker Prize.

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