Celebrated author Banu Mushtaq’s short story collection Heart Lamp, translated from Kannada by Deepa Bhasthi, has been longlisted for the prestigious International Booker Prize 2025. The announcement of the longlist was made late evening today. This marks a significant milestone as Heart Lamp becomes one of the few Kannada works to receive this esteemed recognition. This is the third title by Penguin to be in the running for this prestigious honour following Tomb of Sand by Geetanjali Shree, which won the prize in 2022, and Pyre by Perumal Murugan, which was longlisted in 2023.
Originally published in Kannada, 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. Heart Lamp won the English PEN translation award for the year 2024. Penguin is proud to release this English translation in the Indian subcontinent in April 2025.
Deepa Bhasthi, the esteemed translator, shares her thoughts, ‘I am beyond thrilled to be longlisted for the International Booker Prize 2025. This recognition is not just personal but 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.’
Adding to this, author of the book Banu Mushtaq says. ‘I am extremely happy that a translation of my stories is on the International Booker Prize longlist. It is a tremendous honour for literature in the Kannada language.’
Heart Lamp has garnered widespread acclaim for its evocative storytelling and deep emotional resonance. Readers have lauded it as a poignant and transformative read, highlighting its ability to capture the essence of life’s complexities with grace and authenticity.
Commenting on the nomination, Moutushi Mukherjee, Commissioning Editor at Penguin who worked on this book says, ‘It’s been a privilege to work with someone who has championed women’s voices so effectively and for so long and I wanted to work with Banu and Deepa the moment I read the first draft of these stories, many months ago. Today is a moment of great celebration for me personally, and for all of us at Penguin that these two wonderful writers have been recognised by the International Booker community for their contribution to literature from the subcontinent. I hope we are joined by readers all over the country in this celebration too!’
Milee Ashwarya, Publisher, Adult Publishing Division, Penguin Random House India, says, ‘We are thrilled by the news. This is a proud moment for us at Penguin Random House India, and I extend my heartiest congratulations to Banu Mushtaq and Deepa Bhasthi. I hope the stories of women in Heart Lamp capture the imagination of readers across the globe.’
The International Booker Prize is renowned for celebrating outstanding works of translated fiction from around the globe, providing both authors and translators a distinguished platform to showcase their exemplary contributions to literature.
The 2025 judging panel is chaired by Max Porter, acclaimed author of Grief Is the Thing with Feathers and Lanny. Joining him are poet and filmmaker Caleb Femi, writer and Publishing Director of Wasafiri Sana Goyal, Booker Prize-shortlisted translator Anton Hur, and renowned singer-songwriter Beth Orton.
The longlist for the 2025 International Booker Prize comprises 12 outstanding titles. The shortlist of six books will be announced on 8 April 2025, with the winning title revealed at a ceremony at London’s Tate Modern on 20 May 2025.
About The Author
Banu Mushtaq is a writer, activist and lawyer from Karnataka, southern India. Mushtaq began writing within the progressive protest literary circles in southwestern India in the 1970s and 80s. Critical of the caste system, the Bandaya Sahitya movement gave rise to influential Dalit and Muslim writers, of whom Mushtaq was one of the few women. She is the author of six short story collections, a novel, an essay collection and a poetry collection. She writes in the Kannada language and has won the Karnataka Sahitya Academy and Daana Chintamani Attimabbe awards.
About The Translator
Deepa Bhasthi is a writer and literary translator based in Kodagu, southern India. Her columns, essays and cultural criticism have been published in India and internationally. Her published translations from Kannada include a novel by Kota Shivarama Karanth and a collection of short stories by Kodagina Gouramma. Her translation of Banu Mushtaq’s stories has won her the English PEN Translates award.
