Indian writer Banu Mushtaq and translator Deepa Bhasthi have won the prestigious 2025 International Booker Prize for their collaborative work Heart Lamp, marking a historic moment as the first short story collection to win the award for translated fiction.
Heart Lamp was originally written in Kannada, a language spoken in southern India, and skillfully translated into English by Bhasthi. The announcement was made at a ceremony held at London’s Tate Modern. The prize includes a cash award of £50,000 ($59,000), which will be equally divided between the author and the translator.
This achievement also represents the first time a Kannada-language work has received the International Booker Prize, highlighting a significant milestone for Indian regional literature on the global stage.
The collection features 12 powerful stories centered on the lives of women and girls navigating patriarchal structures in southern India. Drawing from her own experience as a journalist, lawyer, and women’s rights activist, Mushtaq was inspired by real-life stories of the women who sought her help.
Max Porter, chair of the judging panel, praised the collection as “genuinely new for English readers,” noting how the stories explore themes such as gender, caste, religion, and resistance with emotional depth and cultural complexity.
The recognition has sparked celebration in India, with political leaders and cultural figures applauding the duo. Karnataka’s Chief Minister praised Banu for elevating the Kannada language on a global platform. Actor Raj B Shetty and prominent film studio Hombale Films also shared congratulatory messages, calling the win a proud moment for Indian literature and culture.
Banu discovered her passion for writing early in life, but it wasn’t until she was 29—newly a mother and dealing with postpartum depression—that she began her journey as a writer. Writing became a way for her to process and express her emotions and personal experiences. Her work often focuses on women’s issues and perspectives. Over the years, she has published six short story collections, a novel, essays, and poetry. One of her stories, Kari Nagaragalu, was adapted into the 2003 film Hasina.
Since the 1980s, Banu has also been deeply involved in activism, dedicating herself to fighting against fundamentalism and social injustice.
