Heart Lamp by Banu Mushtaq, translated from Kannada by Deepa Bhasthi

Heart Lamp is a groundbreaking collection of 12 short stories by Indian author, lawyer, and women’s rights activist Banu Mushtaq. Written over the span of 30 years, the stories illuminate the struggles and resilience of women living in patriarchal communities in southern India. Deeply inspired by the real-life stories of women who sought her legal aid, Mushtaq channels their pain and strength into vivid, emotionally resonant narratives.

The book is also a milestone in literary history—it is the first Kannada-language work to win the International Booker Prize, and the first collection of short stories ever to receive the honor. Translated by Deepa Bhasthi, the book is described as a “radical translation” that brings the richness of Kannada to English readers, with Bhasthi calling her method “translating with an accent.”

Judge Max Porter praised Heart Lamp as offering “beautiful, busy, life-affirming stories” that feel fresh and essential to English literature.