Indian author, lawyer, and activist Banu Mushtaq just made history—and in the best way possible. She’s bagged the International Booker Prize for her short story collection Heart Lamp, making it the very first time a work in Kannada has ever won the coveted award. The stories, originally written in Kannada and beautifully translated into English by Deepa Bhasthi, span over 30 years and shine a powerful light on the everyday struggles of women.

Mushtaq grew up in Karnataka, and her dual education in Urdu and Kannada helped shape her unique literary voice. She started writing back in her school days, pushing past social norms to go for higher education and follow her creative instincts. Her personal life—especially the emotional upheavals of an early marriage and dealing with postpartum depression—deeply colors her storytelling, making her characters all the more raw and relatable.

"My stories are about women – how religion, society, and politics demand unquestioning obedience from them, and in doing so, inflict inhumane cruelty upon them, turning them into mere subordinates. The daily incidents reported in media and the personal experiences I have endured have been my inspiration. The pain, suffering, and helpless lives of these women create a deep emotional response within me, compelling me to write," she told in an interview for the Booker Prize Foundation’s website.

"Stories for the Heart Lamp collection were chosen from around 50 stories in six story collections I wrote between 1990 and later. Usually, there will be a single draft, and the second one will be a final copy. I do not engage in extensive research; my heart itself is my field of study. The more intensely the incidence affects me, the more deeply and emotionally I write," she added.

"I have consistently challenged chauvinistic religious interpretations. These issues are central to my writing even now. Society has changed a lot, but the core issues remain the same. Even though the context evolves, the basic struggles of women and marginalised communities continue," she told The Week magazine.

She’s not just a writer either. Mushtaq has worn many hats—journalist, lawyer, and active voice in the Bandaya movement, which uses literature as a form of protest against social and economic injustice. Her fearless take on women's rights hasn’t always been well-received—she’s faced threats and even a fatwa. But none of that has stopped her. She continues to write with fierce honesty, always circling back to themes of survival, strength, and standing tall.

Heart Lamp has been earning rave reviews for how gently and powerfully it captures lives pushed to the margins. Her win comes not long after Geetanjali Shree’s 2022 Booker triumph with Tomb of Sand, and together they’re proof that Indian regional literature is finally getting the global spotlight it deserves.

Last year, one of books, Haseena and other stories which is a collection of short stories published between 1990 and 2012 won PEN translation prize. She is also the receipient of Karnataka Sahitya Academy Award, and Daana Chintamani Attimabbe Award.

The prize, awarded annually, honours outstanding works of long-form fiction or short story collections that have been translated into English and published in the UK or Ireland. It highlights the crucial role of translators by splitting the £50,000 prize equally between the author and translator. Additionally, each shortlisted author and translator receives £2,500.

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