Banu Mushtaq and translator Deepa Bhasthi have won the prestigious International Booker Prize 2025 for "Heart Lamp," a collection of short stories that vividly portrays the lives of Muslim women and girls in southern India. The award was announced at a ceremony in London on May 20, 2025, with the £50,000 prize money to be split equally between the author and translator. This marks a historic moment as "Heart Lamp" is the first collection of short stories to win the prize and the first book translated from Kannada to receive the nomination and the win. Deepa Bhasthi is also the first Indian translator to win the International Booker Prize.
"Heart Lamp" comprises twelve stories written by Banu Mushtaq over three decades, from 1990 to 2023. These stories offer a rare and intimate glimpse into the everyday lives and struggles of women within Muslim communities in the Karnataka region. Mushtaq, a lawyer, activist, and prominent voice in Kannada literature, draws inspiration from the experiences of women who have sought her help, addressing themes of religion, society, politics, caste, class, power, oppression, and reproductive rights. Her writing reflects a deep understanding of the patriarchal institutions and modern realities faced by contemporary Muslim women. As Mushtaq stated, her stories are about "how religion, society, and politics demand unquestioning obedience from them, and in doing so, inflict inhumane cruelty upon them, turning them into mere subordinates."
The stories in "Heart Lamp" are characterized by their wit, vividness, and emotional depth. They depict women navigating misogyny woven into rituals, expectations, and family dynamics within the intimate spaces of their homes and communities. While the characters often face constraints and limited agency, they find strength in small acts of defiance and resilience. As one review notes, "They stake small claims to agency in lives that rarely allow them. In doing so, they remind us that power doesn't always announce itself. Sometimes it lies in refusing erasure — in choosing to live, to endure, to claim one's interior life even when the world refuses to see it."
Deepa Bhasthi's translation preserves the multilingual nature of southern India, incorporating elements of Kannada and other dialects into the English text. Her approach, which she describes as "translating with an accent," aims to introduce readers to new words and perspectives, creating a unique and enriching reading experience. The judges praised the "radical" nature of the translation, noting that it "ruffles language, to create new textures in a plurality of Englishes" and "challenges and expands our understanding of translation."
Max Porter, the chair of the judges, described "Heart Lamp" as "something genuinely new for English readers." He highlighted the book's exploration of women's lives, reproductive rights, faith, caste, power, and oppression. The selection of "Heart Lamp" as the winner underscores the International Booker Prize's commitment to recognizing diverse voices and perspectives in translated fiction.
Banu Mushtaq's win marks a significant moment for Kannada literature and Indian literature as a whole. It is hoped that this award will bring greater attention to her work and the stories of the women she portrays. It also shines a light on the importance of translation in bridging cultural divides and promoting understanding.
