Banu Mushtaq and Deepa Bhasthi Win International Booker Prize 2025 for Heart Lamp, A Groundbreaking Short Story Collection. – In a landmark moment for world literature, Indian author Banu Mushtaq and translator Deepa Bhasthi have won the International Booker Prize 2025 for Heart Lamp. This marks the first time a short story collection has received the prestigious award. The announcement was made at London’s Tate Modern by Booker Prize-longlisted author and chair of the 2025 judging panel, Max Porter.
The International Booker Prize, which celebrates the finest fiction translated into English, awards £50,000, split equally between the author and translator — highlighting the vital role of literary translation.
Breaking New Ground in Global Literature
Translated from Kannada, Heart Lamp is the first work in the language to be both nominated for and awarded the International Booker. With over 65 million Kannada speakers, this achievement not only spotlights regional Indian literature but also underscores the diversity of contemporary storytelling.
Written over three decades — from 1990 to 2023 — the 12 stories in Heart Lamp explore the lives of women and girls navigating patriarchal norms in southern India. Mushtaq, a lawyer and influential figure in progressive Kannada literature, drew inspiration from the real-life experiences of women who sought her legal counsel.
© David Parry for the Booker Prize Foundation
By focusing on caste, gender, and religious injustices, her stories provide raw, authentic insight into struggles often silenced in mainstream narratives. As a result, Mushtaq becomes the second Indian author to win the International Booker, following Geetanjali Shree in 2022.
A Victory for Translation and Independent Publishing
Deepa Bhasthi, who translated Heart Lamp into English, becomes the first Indian translator to receive the award. Her work has been widely praised for capturing the nuance, rhythm, and emotional weight of Mushtaq’s original prose.
The book was published by And Other Stories, a Sheffield-based independent publisher. This win marks their first International Booker Prize, reinforcing the growing impact of small presses in amplifying marginalized voices.
Transitioning Indian Literature to the Global Stage
The success of Heart Lamp represents a pivotal shift in the global recognition of Indian regional languages and feminist storytelling. Moreover, it paves the way for more Kannada and other Indian language authors to gain international readership through literary translation.
This year’s award not only honors exceptional literary merit but also reinforces the International Booker Prize’s commitment to diverse, underrepresented voices from across the globe.
