In a historic moment for Indian regional literature, Heart Lamp, a collection of short stories by Kannada writer Banu Mushtaq, won the 2025 International Booker Prize, becoming the first Kannada-language book and the first short story collection to do so.
While we celebrate this, let us meet the woman behind it all.
Born in 1948 in Hassan, Karnataka, Banu Mushtaq is not only a celebrated writer but also a lawyer and social activist. Deeply shaped by the Bandaya (Rebel) literary movement in the 1970s and 80s, Mushtaq’s stories often centre the lives of those pushed to the margins, especially Muslim and Dalit women.
It is said that Mushtaq's writing career began at the age of 29, during a period of postpartum depression. Her personal struggles became a wellspring for stories that delve into the emotional landscapes of women confined by societal constraints.
The story that lends its name to the award-winning collection, Heart Lamp, is a quiet but piercing portrayal of a woman spiralling into emotional isolation after childbirth.
Before the Booker Prize, Mushtaq’s work has received several awards, including the Karnataka Sahitya Academy Award and the Daana Chintamani Attimabbe Award.
The English version of Heart Lamp, translated by Deepa Bhasthi, was key in bringing Mushtaq’s work to international readers. Bhasthi preserved the cultural texture and cadence of the original Kannada, ensuring that the soul of the stories remained intact.
Both Mushtaq and Bhasthi jointly received the Booker Prize, underscoring the power of translation in giving global space to regional voices.
Through her radical, intimate, and life-affirming stories, Banu Mushtaq has carved a path not just for Kannada literature, but for women’s narratives everywhere.
