'Heart Lamp' Wins International Booker: Banu Mushtaq's First Reaction
The award signals global recognition for regional Indian voices often left unheard.
Banu Mushtaq, author of 'Heart Lamp' holds the trophy after winning the International Booker Prize, in London, Tuesday, May 20, 2025. Photo: AP/PTI.
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Banu Mushtaq’s Heart Lamp, a collection of stories about the everyday struggles of Muslim women in Karnataka, has won the International Booker Prize 2025. This is the first time a Kannada work — and a short story collection — has received the honour.
Translated by Deepa Bhasthi, who shares the prize, the stories challenge patriarchy, caste, and class with quiet rebellion. Mushtaq, a lawyer and women’s rights activist, captures the regional and cultural diversity of Indian Muslim life. Her characters ask tough questions about justice, duty, and freedom. The award signals global recognition for regional Indian voices often left unheard.
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