International Booker Prize 2025 Winner: A First for Short Stories and Kannada Literature

The 2025 International Booker Prize has made history, awarding the £50,000 prize to Heart Lamp by Banu Mushtaq, translated from Kannada by Deepa Bhasthi. It’s the first time a short story collection has taken the award, and the first time a work in Kannada has been recognised by the prize.

Stories with Depth and Detail

Heart Lamp is a collection of intimate, sharply observed portraits of women navigating caste hierarchies, patriarchy, and the pressures of everyday life in southern India. The writing blends the political and the personal, giving voice to experiences often absent from the global literary stage.

A Win for Translation

The International Booker splits its prize money equally between author and translator, a structure designed to recognise the vital role translators play in carrying stories across borders. Deepa Bhasthi’s work has been praised for capturing not only the meaning but the rhythm and cultural nuance of Mushtaq’s prose.

Why This Matters

This year’s winner reinforces the importance of translated fiction in widening literary perspectives. It’s a reminder that world-class storytelling isn’t limited by geography or language — and that short fiction, when done well, can carry the same weight and reach as any novel.