The 77-year-old Mushtaq, in shared honor, will receive the £50,000 ($67,000, €59,300) prize along with her translator, Deepa Bhasthi, who aided in selecting the stories for the prize-winning collection.
Notably, this marks the inaugural presentation of the award to a collection of short stories. Simultaneously, Bhasthi becomes the inaugural Indian translator to garner this prestigious accolade since its format was instituted in 2016.
The International Booker Prize, held annually, is parallel to the Booker Prize for English-language fiction, though the latter is awarded in the fall.
Max Porter Commends ‘Heart Lamp’
The accolade was conferred during a ceremony at London’s Tate Modern Museum, with the announcement delivered by Max Porter, a bestselling author and chair of the voting panel. Porter described “Heart Lamp” as a groundbreaking collection for English readers.
“Emerging from Kannada, these vibrant, life-affirming narratives are woven with the socio-political richness of multiple languages and dialects,” Porter observed.
“The collection converses on the themes of women’s lives, reproductive rights, belief, caste, authority, and oppression.
Mushtaq Emphasizes Collective Achievement
In her acceptance speech, Mushtaq viewed the award as not only a personal accolade but as a recognition of her unity with countless others. She conveyed, “This moment resembles a thousand fireflies illuminating a single sky — transient, radiant, and entirely collective.”
Kannada is a language spoken by approximately 65 million individuals, predominantly in southern India.
Mushtaq penned the collection’s short stories between 1990 and 2023. The translation by Bhasthi was dedicated to maintaining the multilingual essence of southern India.
The collection received commendations for its subtle and light-hearted humor, witty approach, and commentary on subjects such as patriarchal attitudes, casteism, and religious conservatism.
Edited by: Louis Oelofse
