Indian Author Banu Mushtaq Wins International Booker Prize for Short Story Collection 'Heart Lamp'
Indian author Banu Mushtaq and translator Deepa Bhasthi have been awarded the prestigious 2025 International Booker Prize for fiction for "Heart Lamp," a compelling collection of twelve short stories originally written in Kannada. The announcement, made at a ceremony at London’s Tate Modern on Tuesday, May 20th, marks a historic moment as it is the first time a short story collection has received this coveted literary award.
'Heart Lamp': A Collection of Life-Affirming Stories
"Heart Lamp" comprises stories penned by Mushtaq over three decades (1990-2023), selected and curated by Bhasthi. The work chronicles the everyday lives, struggles, and resilience of women in southern India, exploring themes of reproductive rights, faith, caste dynamics, power, and oppression. Max Porter, chair of the judging panel, praised the "radical" nature of Deepa Bhasthi's translation, which consciously preserves the multilingual richness of southern India. He described the stories as "beautiful, busy, life-affirming" and speaking of the "extraordinary socio-political richness" of the region.
Landmark Achievement for Author and Translator
This victory is significant on multiple fronts. Beyond being the first short story collection to win, Deepa Bhasthi becomes the first Indian translator to receive the International Booker Prize since its current format was established in 2016. Banu Mushtaq, who is also a lawyer and activist, is the sixth female author to be so honoured. Mushtaq herself has described the stories as focusing on how societal and religious structures demand unquestioning obedience from women, often leading to inhumane cruelty. The £50,000 prize money will be divided equally between the author and the translator.
The International Booker Prize for "Heart Lamp" brings global recognition to Banu Mushtaq's poignant storytelling and Deepa Bhasthi's nuanced translation, celebrating powerful narratives centered on women's experiences. This historic win for a short story collection also broadens the scope of acknowledgement for diverse literary forms on the international stage.
