Banu Mushtaq, a 77-year-old Kannada writer, lawyer, and activist from Hassan, Karnataka, has made literary history by winning the prestigious 2025 International Booker Prize for her short story collection Heart Lamp.

The collection, translated from Kannada to English by Madikeri-based translator Deepa Bhasthi, is the first-ever short story collection and the first Kannada work to receive this distinguished international honour.

The announcement was made at a ceremony held at London’s Tate Modern, where both Mushtaq and Bhasthi shared the £50,000 prize equally. The judges praised the book’s innovative narrative style and its compelling depiction of Muslim women’s lives in southern India. Officials and literary experts hailed this win as a landmark moment for Indian regional literature on the global stage.

A Landmark Win for Kannada and Indian Literature

Heart Lamp comprises twelve stories written over three decades, from 1990 to 2023, that explore the everyday struggles, resilience, and sisterhood of women living in patriarchal and socially complex communities in Karnataka. Mushtaq’s background as a lawyer and activist deeply informs her storytelling, which addresses themes such as faith, caste, power dynamics, and women’s rights with nuance and empathy.

At the award ceremony, Mushtaq described the win as “a thousand fireflies lighting a single sky – brief, brilliant and utterly collective,” emphasising that the recognition belongs to the many unheard voices she represents. Translator Deepa Bhasthi, the first Indian translator to win the prize since 2016, highlighted the importance of preserving the linguistic and cultural richness of Kannada in her translation.

She recited a traditional Kannada folk song, expressing hope that this moment would inspire greater global interest in South Asian languages and literature.

A Trailblazer’s Journey: From Bullock Carts to Global Stage

Born in 1948 in Hassan, Karnataka, Banu Mushtaq’s life story is a testament to resilience and transformation. Growing up in rural Karnataka, she recalls travelling in bullock carts as a child—an experience that shaped her early worldview and connection to grassroots realities. 

Encouraged by her progressive family, especially her father, Mushtaq pursued education and defied patriarchal expectations, eventually becoming a lawyer, journalist, educator, and social activist. Her literary journey began in middle school, and by age 26, she had her first story published in Prajamata.

Reflecting on her International Booker Prize win, Mushtaq described her path as “from travelling in bullock carts to standing on this global stage,” underscoring both the distance she has travelled and the significance of her achievement. Despite her global recognition, Mushtaq remains grounded, vowing that her writing will continue to reflect the lived realities of women and marginalized communities in Karnataka.

From Local Roots to Global Acclaim

Mushtaq’s literary journey began in her youth, with her first story published at age 26 in the Kannada magazine Prajamata. Growing up in a large Muslim family in Hassan, she credits her father’s encouragement for her early defiance of patriarchal norms and pursuit of education.

Over the years, her stories have been shaped by her lived experiences and activism, reflecting the complex realities of marginalized communities, especially women. The Booker Prize jury, chaired by acclaimed author Max Porter, praised Heart Lamp as “something genuinely new for English readers,” describing it as “witty, vivid, colloquial, moving and excoriating.”

This win marks only the second time an Indian book has received the International Booker Prize, following Geetanjali Shree’s Tomb of Sand in 2022, and is a significant milestone for Kannada literature, which has often been underrepresented on the global literary stage.

The Logical Indian’s Perspective

Banu Mushtaq’s historic achievement is a powerful reminder of the richness and diversity of India’s literary landscape. Her stories demonstrate how regional voices, when given a platform through translation and global recognition, can foster empathy, understanding, and social change.

This win not only celebrates Mushtaq’s individual talent but also highlights the crucial role of translators like Deepa Bhasthi in bridging cultural and linguistic divides. At a time when inclusivity and representation are more important than ever, Heart Lamp exemplifies how literature can amplify marginalized voices and promote harmony.

As we celebrate this milestone, The Logical Indian invites readers to reflect: How can we collectively support and encourage the translation and global dissemination of stories from India’s many languages and communities?