
Heart Lamp: book of short stories featuring Indian Muslim women wins International Booker Prize
Heart Lamp, a collection of short stories about Muslim women in southern India by Banu Mushtaq, has won the coveted International Booker Prize.
Deepa Bhasthi's translation of 12 of Mushtaq's tales is the first short-story collection to win the award.
Lawyer and women's rights activist Mushtaq wrote the stories, originally in the Kannada language, over the course of 30 years. She is the second Indian author to win the prize.
Mushtaq began writing in the 1970s and has published six short story collections, a novel and essays as well as poetry.
The author was inspired to write the stories by those who came to her seeking help.
'The pain, suffering and helpless lives of these women create a deep emotional response within me, compelling me to write,' she said, according to a press release by the prize committee.
Translator Bhasthi selected and curated the stories, with the aim of preserving the multilingual nature of southern India. When the characters use Urdu or Arabic words in conversation, these are left in the original, reproducing the unique rhythms of spoken language.
Heart Lamp ' is something genuinely new for English readers: a radical translation [of] beautiful, busy, life-affirming stories', chairman of the 2025 panel of judges Max Porter said.
'This was the book the judges really loved, right from our first reading. It's been a joy to listen to the evolving appreciation of these stories from the different perspectives of the jury.'
The International Booker Prize recognises the vital work of translation, with the £50,000 prize money divided equally between the author and the translator.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Khaleej Times
11 hours ago
- Khaleej Times
Diljit Dosanjh to investigate tricky murder case in 'Detective Sherdil'
Actor and singer Diljit Dosanjh is set to play the role of a genius investigator in the film Detective Sherdil. The makers of the movie released its trailer earlier this week. The film boasts an ensemble cast including Diana Penty, Boman Irani, Ratna Pathak Shah, Chunky Panday, Sumeet Vyas, Banita Sandhu, Kashmira Irani, and others. As per the trailer, global icon Dosanjh has been tasked to solve a murder case involving a billionaire business tycoon and his family. The plot revolves around a flamboyant billionaire business tycoon (played by Boman Irani) who was found murdered in Budapest. The trailer then introduces Diljit Dosanjh as Detective Sherdil, an unorthodox investigator who has a knack for solving murder cases. By his side is Natasha (Diana Penty), a poised and brilliant investigator with a mind equally sharp. As the two dig deeper into the tangled web of family secrets, betrayals, and billion-dollar motives, the case becomes increasingly twisted and unpredictable, as shown in the trailer. As the investigation continues, a gripping game of deceit unfolds where every suspect harbours a secret that changes the narrative of the story. It is directed and edited by Ravi Chhabriya. The OTT platform Zee5 shared the trailer on their Instagram handle. They wrote, "A murder with many suspects. And a sher (lion) with the chaabi (key) to everyone's dil (heart). Are you ready?" View this post on Instagram A post shared by ZEE5 (@zee5) "From day one, I knew we needed a detective who could balance charm, wit, and a bit of swagger--and Diljit brought all of that and more," Chhabriya said in a statement. "Playing Detective Sherdil has been fun for me," Dosanjh said. "The character quirks and this attitude is something that I have tried differently. Hope audiences enjoy this character and the film."


Khaleej Times
12 hours ago
- Khaleej Times
Nagarjuna lauds Rashmika Mandanna's recent box office performances
Superstar Nagarjuna lauded Rashmika Mandanna for her recent box office performances at the audio launch of socio-drama film Kuberaa third single Pippi Pippi Dum Dum Dum in Mumbai. The upcoming film Kuberaa, directed by Sekhar Kammula, stars Dhanush, Nagarjuna, Rashmika Mandanna and Jim Sarabh in the lead. The makers recently held an audio launch event of the movie's third single, Pippi Pippi, which was attended by the film's lead cast. While interacting with the media at the audio launch, Nagarjuna called Mandanna a "powerhouse" of talent while addressing the contribution of the whole cast in the movie. He lauded the recent box office performances of the Mandanna-starrer films and said, "This girl (Rashmika Mandanna) is one powerhouse of talent. Just see her filmography in the last three years, it is just outstanding... She is the one who has beaten all of us." In the last two years, Mandanna has starred in three blockbusters — Ranbir Kapoor's Animal, Allu Arjun's Pushpa 2, and Vicky Kaushal's Chhaav a. She was last seen in Salman Khan's Sikandar, which also performed well at the box office. Mandanna said she feels she has "only just begun" and doesn't quite understand the "race" to be number one. "... we're doing films in the South, we're doing films in Bollywood. So I don't know what this race is about, but I know for sure that I'm just starting," she said.


Khaleej Times
12 hours ago
- Khaleej Times
Priyanka Chopra remembers father on his death anniversary
Actor and global icon Priyanka Chopra Jonas took a moment to honour the memory of her late father, Dr Ashok Chopra, marking twelve years since his passing with a heartfelt tribute on social media. On her Instagram handle, the actress shared a throwback photo from her childhood, capturing a joyful moment with her father. The image, likely taken during a family vacation, shows a young Priyanka smiling by his side, radiating the father-daughter bond the two shared. Alongside the photo, she wrote, "Miss you every day, Dad." Dr Ashok Chopra, a physician and a former Indian Army doctor, died in 2013 after a prolonged battle with cancer. His passing left a profound impact on Chopra Jonas, who has often credited her father as a pillar of strength in her life. In past interviews, she has spoken about the enduring presence of grief in her life, revealing how she channelled that pain into her performances on screen. On the work front, Priyanka is set to appear in the upcoming action-thriller Heads of State alongside John Cena and Idris Elba, followed by the period drama The Bluff. She will also star in the second season of Amazon's spy series Citadel. Chopra Jonas also has a movie with filmmaker SS Rajamouli and Mahesh Babu in the lead. The film is tentatively titled SSMB29.