Hassan: “Heart Lamp,” won a collection of small stories written by the city -based Kannada writer Banu Mushtaq, won the prestigious International Booker Award 2025. The book was translated from Kannada to English by Madikeri -based translator Deepa Bhaishi.Banu Mushtaq, a lawyer and journalist, established himself as a writer, storyteller, poet, novelist and social worker.At a ceremony held in Tate Modern, London, author Max Porter, who presided over the 2025 Judging Panel, revealed the winning book – especially the first short story collection to receive this prestigious award. Max Porter said, “Dil lamp is actually something new for English readers. A radical translation that ruins the language, to create a new texture in the plurality of English. This challenges and expands our understanding of translation.,He emphasized that these vibrant and uplift stories originate from Kannada, including remarkable socio-political depth of various languages and dialects. Stories address women’s experiences, reproductive rights, beliefs, power structures and oppression.During the award presentation, he said, “This is a joy to listen to the developed praise of these stories from various perspectives of the Jury.”
