London: Making literary history, acclaimed Kannada author and social activist Banu Mushtaq has won the International Booker Prize for her moving short story collection “Heart Lamp”, a bold and intimate portrayal of life within the South Asian Muslim community. The book was translated from Kannada to English by journalist and writer Deepa Bhasthi, who will share the £50,000 (approx. ₹53 lakh) prize equally with the author.
“Heart Lamp” stood out as the only Indian work to be shortlisted this year, drawing global acclaim for its deeply personal and powerful storytelling. Spanning over three decades of Banu Mushtaq’s writing (1990–2023), the collection offers raw, semi-autobiographical stories that reflect the voices of women, identity, and social realities often left unheard.
The International Booker Prize, one of the world’s most prestigious literary awards, honors the finest fiction translated into English and published in the UK or Ireland, spotlighting both authors and translators. Mushtaq’s win is being hailed as a landmark moment for regional Indian literature on the global stage, bringing the richness of Kannada storytelling to an international readership.
