LONDON – On Tuesday, Indian author Banu Mushtaq, in collaboration with translator Deepa Bhasthi, clinched the International Booker Prize for fiction with their work “Heart Lamp.” This acclaimed collection contains 12 intricately woven short stories, spanning a creation period of over 30 years, depicting the everyday battles and existence of women in the southern region of India.
The prestigious recognition was unveiled at a ceremony held at London’s iconic Tate Modern by Max Porter, a bestselling author who was previously longlisted for the Booker Prize. In his capacity as chair of the five-member panel of judges, he expressed commendation for the work.
Breaking new ground, it’s the first time this prize has been awarded to a compilation of short stories. Furthermore, Bhasthi etched her name in history as the first Indian translator, and the ninth female translator, to receive this accolade since its current format emerged in 2016. On her part, Mushtaq becomes the sixth female author to be honored with this prize in its recent iterations.
The original work penned in Kannada – a language spoken by an estimated 65 million primarily in southern India – was lauded by Porter for its “radical” translation efforts. He remarked on the joyful experiences derived from observing the growing appreciation of these stories by the jury members.
Porter highlighted the merit of the work by stating, “These beautiful, busy, life-affirming stories rise from Kannada, interspersed with the extraordinary socio-political richness of other languages and dialects. It speaks of women’s lives, reproductive rights, faith, caste, power, and oppression.”
Selected from 1990 through 2023, these narratives were meticulously chosen and curated by Bhasthi, emphasizing southern India’s multilingual tapestry within her translation.
Mushtaq, who balances her roles as a lawyer and activist alongside her writing, revealed at a shortlist reading event on Sunday that the narratives delve into women’s experiences, highlighting the relentless societal, religious, and political expectations demanding their compliance, often resulting in dehumanizing treatment and reducing them to subordinates.
The prize, valued at 50,000 pounds ($66,000), will be equally divided between the author and the translator. Both recipients will also be presented with a trophy as part of their recognition.
The International Booker Prize is annually awarded and complements the Booker Prize for English-language fiction, which is slated for presentation in the fall.