Who Is Banu Mushtaq? Kannada Writer's 'Heart Lamp' Finds Spot In International Booker Prize 2025 Longlist

(MENAFN- Live Mint) Banu Mushtaq, a celebrated writer, activist, and lawyer from Karnataka, is in the spotlight after her short story collection Heart Lamp featured in the long list of the International Booker Prize 2025.

• She gained prominence through her work that challenged caste and class inequalities and emerged as a notable writer from the progressive literary circles of the 1970s and 1980s, particularly the Bandaya Sahitya movement.

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• The 77-year-old Kannada writer authored six short story collections, a novel, an essay collection , and poetry throughout her career.
• She is renowned as an advocate of Dalit and Muslim women rights. She was honoured with Karnataka Sahitya Academy and Daana Chintamani Attimabbe awards.
• She worked as a journalist for nine years and has served two terms on the Hassan City municipal council.

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• According to a note released by the book's publisher, Penguin Random House, Heart Lamp delves "into the intricate tapestry of human emotions and relationships, set against the backdrop of a rapidly changing society. The narrative weaves through themes of love, loss, and resilience, offering readers a profound exploration of the human condition."
• Deepa Bhasthi translated the short story to English from Kannada language. Notably, Deepa Bhasthi is a writer and literary translator based in Kodagu. Heart Lamp was previously translated into Urdu, Hindi, Tamil, and Malayalam.

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• The English translation of Heart Lamp will be available for readers in April 2025.
• Reacting over the achievement, Banu Mushtaq said that it was a "tremendous honour for literature in the Kannada language" to be long-listed for the International Booker, the News Minute reported.
• Meanwhile, Deepa Bhasthi called the recognition a significant moment for Kannada literature. "That the everyday experiences of South Indian women building lives under patriarchal pressures have resonated with the distinguished jury, and hopefully, will soon reach a global readership, is both humbling and affirming. It is a testament to the universality of Banu Mushtaq's stories and to the power of translation," the News Minute quoted Deepa Bhasthi as saying.

The International Booker longlist comprises 13 authors longlisted for the first time, including Heart Lamp. Other 12 novels in the list are 'A Leopard-Skin Hat,'' On a Woman's Madness,' 'Perfection,' 'Eurotrash,' 'Under the Eye of the Big Bird,' 'Hunchback,' 'Small Boat,' 'Reservoir Bitches,' 'Solenoid,' 'There's a Monster Behind the Door,' 'On the Calculation of Volume I' and 'The Book of Disappearance.' It is important to note that the shortlist of six of these books out of a total of 154 submissions worldwide will be announced on April 8.

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