Kannada book included in the list of International Booker Prize for the first time

Kannada book included in the list of International Booker Prize for the first time
Kannada writer Banu Mushtaq’s short story collection “Heart Lamp” is one of the 13 books longlisted for this year’s International Booker Prize.
In a historic moment for Kannada literature, it has become the first Kannada book to be longlisted for the award, which is given to books translated into English.
She is renowned as an advocate of Dalit and Muslim women’s rights.
She was awarded the Karnataka Sahitya Academy and Dana Chintamani Atimbhe awards.
Deepa Bhasthi has translated this short story from Kannada to English.
Deepa Bhasthi is a writer and literary translator based in Kodagu.
Heart Lamp has previously been translated into Urdu, Hindi, Tamil and Malayalam.
The list of 13 books – 11 novels and two short story collections – was selected by the 2025 judging panel, chaired by bestselling Booker Prize-winning author Max Porter.
Late Kannada veteran writer UR Ananthamurthy was nominated for the Man Booker International in 2013, the first edition of the award.