Kodagu Author Deepa Bhasthi Wins International Booker Prize for Translating Kannada Short Stories of Banu Mushtaq
- Kodagu Express Bureau
- 3 hours ago
- 2 min read
LONDON/MADIKERI: In a landmark moment for Kannada literature, Kodagu-born author and translator Deepa Bhasthi and writer-activist Banu Mushtaq were awarded the prestigious GBP 50,000 International Booker Prize in London on Tuesday night for Heart Lamp: Selected Stories — the first Kannada title to receive the honour.
The award, presented at a ceremony at Tate Modern on May 20, recognises the best translated fiction published in the UK and Ireland. Bhasthi’s English translation of Mushtaq’s short stories, originally written in Kannada, edged out five other shortlisted titles from around the world. Each shortlisted entry received GBP 5,000, while the winners shared the GBP 50,000 prize, taking home GBP 25,000 each.
Heart Lamp marks Mushtaq’s debut in English and is Bhasthi’s third published translation. The collection, praised by judges as “witty, vivid, colloquial, moving and excoriating,” explores complex family and community dynamics with emotional depth and sharp social insight.
Bhasthi, known for her cultural criticism and literary essays, has written for publications such as The Paris Review, The Hindu, The Guardian and Himal Southasian. She has previously translated works by iconic Kannada writers Kota Shivarama Karanth and Kodagina Gouramma. Her translation of Heart Lamp had also won the EnglishPEN Award earlier, cementing its global recognition.
Reacting to the win, Mushtaq said, “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. In a world that often tries to divide us, literature remains one of the last sacred spaces where we can live inside each other’s minds, if only for a few pages.”
Bhasthi added, “What a beautiful win this is for my beautiful language.”
Chettira Sujan Nanaiah, Bhasthi’s husband, who along with her resides in Madikeri, expressed his joy while speaking to The Kodagu Express about his wife’s remarkable achievement. He said her winning the Booker Prize had made Kodagu, Karnataka, and the entire country proud.
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah congratulated the duo in a post on X, calling it “a celebration for the whole Kannadiga community.” He said Mushtaq had “raised the Kannada flag to an international platform.”
The International Booker Prize celebrates long-form fiction or collections of short stories translated into English. This year’s recognition for Heart Lamp is being seen as a milestone in bringing regional Indian languages, especially Kannada, to the global literary forefront.
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