HASSAN: Heart Lamp , a collection of short stories by city-based Kannada writer Banu Mushtaq , has won the prestigious International Booker Prize 2025 . The book was translated from Kannada to English by Madikeri-based translator Deepa Bhasthi.
An advocate and journalist by profession, Banu Mushtaq has made her mark as a storyteller, poet, novelist, and social activist.
The award was announced at a ceremony held at London’s Tate Modern. Author Max Porter, who chaired the 2025 judging panel, revealed Heart Lamp as the winner — notably the first short story collection to receive this honour.
“Heart Lamp is something genuinely new for English readers,” said Porter. “A radical translation that ruffles language to create new textures in a plurality of Englishes. It challenges and expands our understanding of translation.”
He praised the book’s vibrant and uplifting narratives, rooted in Kannada yet enriched with the socio-political depth of various dialects and languages. The stories, he noted, explore themes such as women’s experiences, reproductive rights, faith, caste, power structures, and oppression.
“This was the book the judges really loved, right from our first reading,” Porter said. “It’s been a joy to witness the evolving appreciation of these stories through the diverse perspectives of the jury.”
After becoming the first Kannada author to win the International Booker Prize, Banu told TOI: “This prize shows the true potential of the Kannada language, its literature, and the possibilities ahead if more works are translated into other languages, especially English.”
She emphasized the need to introduce more Kannada literature to a global audience. “There is a need to bring more and more Kannada works to readers around the world,” she said.
Recalling the final moments before the announcement, Banu said, “It was very tense. When Max Porter announced Heart Lamp as the winner, it was electrifying. Everyone stood up and began congratulating me.”
She described the honour as a shared victory. “This is not individual recognition. It’s recognition of teamwork,” she said, adding that despite the global attention, “My writing will remain the same.”
Reflecting on her journey, she signed off with: “Life is amazing — from travelling in bullock carts to standing on this global stage.”
An advocate and journalist by profession, Banu Mushtaq has made her mark as a storyteller, poet, novelist, and social activist.
The award was announced at a ceremony held at London’s Tate Modern. Author Max Porter, who chaired the 2025 judging panel, revealed Heart Lamp as the winner — notably the first short story collection to receive this honour.
“Heart Lamp is something genuinely new for English readers,” said Porter. “A radical translation that ruffles language to create new textures in a plurality of Englishes. It challenges and expands our understanding of translation.”
He praised the book’s vibrant and uplifting narratives, rooted in Kannada yet enriched with the socio-political depth of various dialects and languages. The stories, he noted, explore themes such as women’s experiences, reproductive rights, faith, caste, power structures, and oppression.
“This was the book the judges really loved, right from our first reading,” Porter said. “It’s been a joy to witness the evolving appreciation of these stories through the diverse perspectives of the jury.”
After becoming the first Kannada author to win the International Booker Prize, Banu told TOI: “This prize shows the true potential of the Kannada language, its literature, and the possibilities ahead if more works are translated into other languages, especially English.”
She emphasized the need to introduce more Kannada literature to a global audience. “There is a need to bring more and more Kannada works to readers around the world,” she said.
Recalling the final moments before the announcement, Banu said, “It was very tense. When Max Porter announced Heart Lamp as the winner, it was electrifying. Everyone stood up and began congratulating me.”
She described the honour as a shared victory. “This is not individual recognition. It’s recognition of teamwork,” she said, adding that despite the global attention, “My writing will remain the same.”
Reflecting on her journey, she signed off with: “Life is amazing — from travelling in bullock carts to standing on this global stage.”
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