International Booker 2025: Kannada Book in Historic Longlist

Kannada writer Banu Mushtaq’s short story collection Heart Lamp, translated into English by Deepa Bhasthi, has been longlisted for the prestigious International Booker Prize 2025. This marks the first time a Kannada title has been included in the longlist of the prize, which celebrates the finest translated fiction from around the world. The selection features 13 books from 15 nationalities, covering 10 original languages, including Kannada and Romanian for the first time.

Key Highlights of International Booker Prize 2025 Longlist

• Historic Nomination: Heart Lamp is the first-ever Kannada book to be longlisted for the International Booker Prize.
• Banu Mushtaq’s Work: The collection consists of 12 short stories set in Muslim communities of southern India, originally published between 1990 and 2023.
• Judges’ Praise: The judges commended the book for its “witty, vivid, colloquial, moving, and excoriating” storytelling.

Notable Past Indian Winners/Nominees

• Tomb of Sand by Geetanjali Shree (Winner, 2022) – First Hindi novel to win.
• Pyre by Perumal Murugan (Longlist, 2023) – Tamil novel.
• Diverse Selection: The 13 books on the longlist are from 11 novels and two short story collections, spanning different themes and cultural narratives.
• Chair of Judges’ Statement: Max Porter emphasized that translated fiction is for everyone, bridging cultural gaps and exploring universal human experiences.
• Previous Kannada Connection: The late U.R. Ananthamurthy was longlisted for the Man Booker International Prize (previous version) in 2013.

Next Steps in the Prize Selection

• Shortlist Announcement: April 8, 2025 (6 books will be selected).
• Winner Announcement: May 20, 2025, at Tate Modern, London.

Prize Money Distribution

• Total Prize: £50,000 (equally split between author and translator).
• Shortlisted books: £5,000 per book (£2,500 each for author and translator).
• Banu Mushtaq’s Heart Lamp is a significant milestone for Kannada literature, gaining international recognition and placing regional Indian storytelling on the global stage.

International Booker Prize 2025 Longlist