The Impressive TimesNew Delhi : Karnataka-based writer, activist, and lawyer Banu Mushtaq’s short story collection Heart Lamp has been shortlisted for the International Booker Prize 2025. Translated from Kannada to English by Deepa Bhasthi, the book has carved its name in history as the first-ever Kannada language title to be recognized at this prestigious global platform.
Heart Lamp is among six titles shortlisted from across the world for the coveted prize, which celebrates the finest works of fiction translated into English. The collection comprises 12 stories, originally published between 1990 and 2023, which span over three decades of Mushtaq’s powerful literary engagement with gender, community, and identity in contemporary India.
The International Booker jury praised the collection for its “witty, vivid, colloquial, moving, and excoriating” prose that deftly portrays the intricacies of family dynamics and societal conflicts. Through sharply drawn characters and a profound emotional depth, Mushtaq offers poignant insights into the lived realities of marginalized voices, particularly those of Muslim women, in Karnataka and beyond.
Mushtaq, known not only for her literary work but also for her advocacy on women’s rights and communal harmony, has long been a distinctive voice in Kannada literature. This international recognition elevates both her legacy and the Kannada literary tradition to a new global audience.
The translation by Deepa Bhasthi was also widely applauded for its fidelity to tone and cultural nuance. The translator’s ability to carry the soul of Mushtaq’s original Kannada prose into English has been pivotal in earning Heart Lamp a place among the literary elite.
Penguin Random House India, which published the English edition, released a statement celebrating the recognition: “This is a proud and historic moment not just for Kannada literature, but for Indian regional writing as a whole. Heart Lamp stands as a testament to the richness of voices that have long deserved global attention.”
The winner of the International Booker Prize will be announced in May 2025. If Heart Lamp clinches the award, it would be a groundbreaking achievement for Indian literature, especially for languages and voices that have traditionally remained on the fringes of global literary discourse.
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