LONDON – In a groundbreaking moment for world literature, Indian author Banu Mushtaq has won the prestigious International Booker Prize for fiction for her collection of short stories, “Heart Lamp”. This marks the first time the award has been presented to a short story collection, and also the first time a book written in Kannada, spoken primarily in the southern Indian state of Karnataka—has received the honor.
Banu Mushtaq’s Heart Lamp was brought to international audiences through the meticulous translation work of Deepa Bhasthi, who has become the first Indian translator to win the prize. Bhasthi, who carefully preserved the multilingual nature of southern India within the translation, expressed her hope that the win would inspire further translations from and into Kannada and other South Asian languages.
Chair of the judges, Porter, lauded the radical nature of the translation, stating, “It’s been a joy to witness the evolving appreciation of these stories by members of the jury. These beautiful, busy, life-affirming narratives speak of women’s lives, reproductive rights, faith, caste, power, and oppression.”
The collection, which consists of twelve stories penned over more than three decades, triumphed over five other finalists. Mushtaq now joins the ranks of celebrated female authors to have won the prize since the International Booker took on its current form in 2016.
Back home in Hassan, Karnataka, Banu Mushtaq’s family and local residents erupted in jubilant celebrations upon hearing the news. Her husband, Mushtaq, shared sweets with his family, expressing that the win was an incredible honor for Karnataka and Hassan district. Her son, Taheer, called it a “proud moment for the country.”
Bar Association member Chennangihalli Srikanth added, “Let Banu Mushtaq continue writing many such books and scaling great heights in literature. We also extend our congratulations and best wishes to Deepa Bhasthi, who played an invaluable role in bringing these stories to the world.”
Banu Mushtaq’s victory is a significant milestone in literary history, affirming the importance of regional voices in the global literary landscape. Her achievement shines a spotlight on Kannada literature, further inspiring writers and translators to bring more diverse stories to international audiences.
