Banu Mushtaq Won International Booker Prize for Heart Lamp

The International Booker Prize is one of the most prestigious literary awards globally, and it honours quality fiction translated into English. It seeks to inspire greater reading of quality fiction from across the globe as well as to celebrate the important work of literary translators. The prize was initially launched in 2005 as the “Man Booker International Prize“. The prize has undergone various changes throughout the years, constantly adjusting to the evolving literary scene as well as reiterating the significance of translation in making diverse voices heard by the world at large.

Banu Mushtaq Won the International Booker Prize for Heart Lamp

Indian writer Banu Mushtaq has received the International Booker Prize 2025 for her book of short stories, “Heart Lamp.” She shares the honour with her translator, Deepa Bhasthi, who had translated the novel from Kannada into English. The news was announced on Tuesday, May 20, 2025, during a ceremony at London’s Tate Modern.

• It’s the first time that a short story collection has won the International Booker Prize since the award took its current shape in 2016.
• Banu Mushtaq is the second Indian winner of the award (following Geetanjali Shree in 2022 for “Tomb of Sand”).
  “Heart Lamp” is the inaugural Kannada translation winner of the prize, pointing towards the wealth of Indian regional literature.
• Deepa Bhasthi is the first Indian translator to receive the prize.

About Heart Lamp

Heart Lamp contains 12 short stories by Mushtaq spanning three decades (1990-2023), recounting the daily lives, tribulations, and endurance of women in a Muslim patriarchal society in southern India.

“Heart Lamp,” Indian author Banu Mushtaq’s International Booker Prize 2025-winning collection of short stories, is a moving and close look at women’s lives in patriarchal Muslim communities in southern India. It was translated from Kannada by Deepa Bhasthi, and the collection superbly documents their unassuming resilience, home front battles, and unseen intricacies.

In vividly etched narratives, Mushtaq throws light on the inner lives and social limitations of her protagonists, transforming the mundane into the phenomenal and voicing the experiences that speak universally despite being culture-specific.

Also Read: Jnanpith Award Winners List

International Booker Prize: History and Evolution

When first introduced in 2005 as the Man Booker International Prize, the award was biennial and honoured an author’s lifetime body of work rather than a single book. It had no restrictions on the original language, recognising literary giants from across the globe.

List of International Booker Prize From 2005-2015: Recognising Lifetime Achievement

Some of the notable winners of the International Booker Prize from 2005-2015:

• 2005: Ismail Kadare (Albania)
• 2007: Chinua Achebe (Nigeria)
• 2009: Alice Munro (Canada)
• 2011: Philip Roth (USA)
• 2013: Lydia Davis (USA)
• 2015: László Krasznahorkai (Hungary)

List of International Booker Prize From 2016-Present: Transition to a Single Work Prize

In 2016, the International Booker Prize underwent a major transformation, aligning itself with the Booker Prize for English-language fiction. The prize started being awarded annually for a single translated book rather than an author’s entire body of work. This change placed equal emphasis on both the author and the translator, ensuring that the art of translation was duly recognised. Since then, winners have received £50,000, split equally between the author and the translator. Notable winners of the International Booker Prize from 2016 onwards:

Selection Process and Timeline

The International Booker Prize follows a structured selection process:

• March: Longlist announcement (12-13 books)
• April: Shortlist announcement (six books)
• May: Winner announcement

The judging panel, chaired by literary experts, evaluates books based on literary merit, thematic depth, narrative style, and translation quality.

International Booker Prize 2025 Longlist

The 2025 longlist, announced in February, features 13 outstanding books from various linguistic and cultural backgrounds. Some notable entries include:

Significance of the International Booker Prize

The International Booker Prize is of great importance to the international literary scene for several powerful reasons:

Elevating Translated Fiction

Its primary and most profound impact is shining a powerful spotlight on fiction translated into English. Before its 2016 reformat, translated literature often struggled for visibility in English-speaking markets. The prize has dramatically increased the readership and sales of translated works, introducing English-speaking audiences to rich narratives and diverse voices from across the globe.

Appreciating the Translator’s Essential Contribution

By dividing the £50,000 prize equally between the author and translator, the International Booker Prize gives important acknowledgement and compensation to translators. This serves to remind us that translation is not a purely technical exercise but rather an art form, stressing the translator’s central contribution in making a work come alive in a different language and culture. This also serves to motivate more skilled professionals to make literary translation their vocation.

Encouraging Cultural Exchange and Understanding

The award functions as a cultural bridge. By presenting stories from a diverse range of linguistic backgrounds, it creates understanding, widens horizons, and allows readers to have a more profound understanding of other societies, histories, and human experiences. This is especially crucial in a world too often defined by separations.

Shaping Publishing Trends

The value of international recognition as being longlisted, shortlisted, or being awarded the International Booker Prize has a direct effect on publishing choices. Publishers are increasingly willing to explore and market translated titles, broadening their lists and enriching literary life.

Raising Authors and Languages of Origin

A victory or even a nomination can greatly raise the author and original language’s profile in their country of origin and globally. For instance, Geetanjali Shree’s “Tomb of Sand” (Hindi) and now Banu Mushtaq’s “Heart Lamp” (Kannada) have given Indian regional literature unprecedented global recognition. Sales of the original language publications tend to skyrocket after the win, encouraging additional literary action in these languages.

Promoting Literary Originality

By honouring books that may not conform to traditional forms or are from lesser-established literary traditions, the prize promotes originality and defies current literary conventions.

Conclusion

The International Booker Prize remains a shining example of literary distinction, highlighting great stories across the globe. Its transition from an award for a lifetime of work to a celebration of individual books has made it more influential in international literature.

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