Heart Lamp: Selected Stories – Banu Mushtaq (International Booker Prize 2025)

Winner of the International Booker Prize 2025

Heart Lamp: Selected Stories is a stunning collection by Kannada author Banu Mushtaq — one of the most powerful voices in contemporary South Asian literature. Translated into English by Deepa Bhasthi, recipient of the English PEN Translates Award 2024, this remarkable volume brings to life a world of vivid characters and deeply human stories rooted in the cultural landscape of Karnataka.

Mushtaq’s prose is bold, compassionate, and unflinching — exploring themes of identity, womanhood, faith, and resilience with extraordinary sensitivity. Bhasthi’s translation captures the lyrical rhythm of the original Kannada with grace and precision, making these stories accessible to a global readership without losing their regional soul.

Why This Collection Stands Apart

• International Booker Prize 2025 Winner — a landmark in world literature
• Translated by Deepa Bhasthi, English PEN Translates Award 2024 recipient
• Rooted in Karnataka’s rich cultural and social landscape
• Explores womanhood, faith, identity, and resilience with rare depth
• Essential reading for lovers of world literature and short fiction

Whether you are a long-time admirer of South Asian writing or discovering it for the first time, Heart Lamp promises to move, challenge, and inspire you deeply.

Author: Banu Mushtaq  |  Translator: Deepa Bhasthi  |  Publisher: Penguin Books  |  ISBN: 9780143477792  |  Country of Origin: India  |  Genre: Literary Fiction / Short Stories