Dhaka, June 14, 2025 —
Banu Mushtaq's Booker: Voices of oppressed Muslim women in South India
Indian writer, lawyer and activist Banu Mushtaq has created history by winning the International Booker Prize 2025. Her Kannada short story collection 'Heart Lamp' won this prestigious award. It is not only a milestone for Kannada literature, but also highlights the life struggles of South India, especially oppressed Muslim women, on the world stage.
77-year-old Banu Mushtaq has compiled 12 short stories written between 1990 and 2023 in her book 'Heart Lamp'. These stories sensitively portray the harsh realities of daily life, social tensions, religious bigotry and the struggle of people living in small towns of Karnataka, especially Muslim women. Banu Mushtaq herself grew up in a Muslim neighborhood in Karnataka, and her personal experiences are also deeply reflected in her writing.
In her professional life, Banu Mushtaq is well-known as a journalist, human rights activist and lawyer. She has been actively working to protect women's rights and eliminate religious and caste-based discrimination. Her diverse experience and social awareness have given her a strong protest voice in her literary work, which has earned her this unique recognition on the world stage.
The book 'Heart Lamp' has been translated from Kannada into English by Deepa Vasti. The prize money of $ 67,000 will be shared equally between Banu Mushtaq and the translator Deepa Vasti. Deepa Vasti sees this achievement as an opportunity to open new doors for South Asian languages.
Banu Mushtaq's victory will inspire those marginalized voices around the world who want to highlight their experiences and struggles through literature. His writing proves that no story is small and that every experience in human life is part of a larger global philosophy.
