Who is Banu Mushtaq? The Woman Behind Kannada's First International Booker Win

Outlook Business Desk

Who is Banu Mushtaq?

Banu Mushtaq, 77, is a lawyer, author and women’s rights activist from Karnataka. For decades, she has written about gender, identity and justice. Her stories often highlight the real-life struggles of Muslim women in conservative communities.

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Historic Achievement

She becomes the first Kannada author to win the International Booker Prize for her collection 'Heart Lamp', originally written in Kannada and translated into English by Deepa Bhasthi

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About the Book

'Heart Lamp' features 12 stories written between 1990 and 2023. It explores the personal and societal challenges faced by Muslim women as they navigate patriarchal systems within both family and community.

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Who is Deepa Bhasthi?

Deepa Bhasthi is a writer and translator from Kodagu, Karnataka. According to the Booker Prize Foundation, she works across literature, art and cultural research. She is the first Indian woman translator to win the award, sharing the £50,000 prize with Banu Mushtaq.

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UK Spelling of Recognizing

The International Booker Prize is awarded annually for a work of translated fiction. The £50,000 prize is split equally between the author and the translator, recognising both for their artistic contribution.

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Literary Journey

Mushtaq has written six short story collections, one novel, an essay collection and a poetry volume. Her stories have been translated into several Indian languages over the years.

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Cultural Significance

“This feels like a thousand fireflies lighting a single sky – brief, brilliant and utterly collective,” Mushtaq said. “I accept this great honour not as an individual but as a voice raised in chorus with so many others.”

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Media and Public Reaction

Authors, cultural figures and media platforms praised the win as a breakthrough for Indian literature. It’s also being celebrated as a proud moment for Kannada-speaking communities around the world.

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