Indian writer Banu Mushtaq’s Booker Prize-winning Heart Lamp is a light in the fog of manufactured narratives

It is a big moment in India’s literary landscape. Writer, activist and lawyer Banu Mushtaq has won the prestigious International Booker Prize 2025. Written in Kannada, the collection of stories titled Heart Lamp poignantly portrays the struggles of Muslim women in homes in South India. Translated by Deepa Bhasthi who shares the prize equally, this is the first short story collection to be awarded the prestigious honour.

“This book was born from the belief that no story is ever small; that in the tapestry of human experience, every thread holds the weight of the whole,” says Mushtaq. The anthology is flying off the shelves after being a quiet nomination. For that matter, it was not part of many conversations back home. But the landmark win is hopefully transformative. For one it showcases the depth of India’s regional languages and the abundance of powerful stories that arise in its sprawling land away from the cynosure of eyes. The accolade also spotlights the art of translations and makes this creativity, mainstream.