Meet Banu Mushtaq: First Kannada Author To Win International Booker Prize 2025 For ‘Heart Lamp'
In a historic moment for Indian literature, 77-year-old Kannada writer, lawyer, and activist Banu Mushtaq has won the International Booker Prize for her short story collection Heart Lamp. She is the first Kannada author to receive this prestigious award. The book includes 12 stories that highlight the daily lives and challenges of Muslim women in Karnataka over a period of 30 years, from 1990 to 2023.
Deepa Bhasthi, who translated the collection into English, also received the International Booker Prize along with Banu Mushtaq. With this win, Mushtaq becomes part of a distinguished group of Indian authors who have received the prestigious award since it began in 1969. This list includes V.S. Naipaul, Salman Rushdie, Arundhati Roy, Kiran Desai, Aravind Adiga, and Geetanjali Shree.
Who is Banu Mustaq?
Banu Mushtaq, who comes from Hassan in Karnataka, wrote her first short story when she was in middle school. She gained attention in the literary world when her first story was published at the age of 26 in the popular Kannada magazine Prajamata. According to her profile on The Booker Prize website, she has written six collections of short stories, a novel, a collection of essays, and a book of poetry.
In an interview with the Booker Prize Foundation, Mushtaq shared that her inspiration came from the Dalit movement, farmers' movement, language movement, women's struggles, and environmental activism in the 1970s, all of which she experienced while growing up in Karnataka.
Banu Mustaq and her writings
In Heart Lamp, the female characters reflect a strong spirit of resistance and resilience. Mushtaq later worked as a reporter for a well-known local tabloid and was involved with the Bandaya movement, which focused on fighting social and economic injustices through literature and activism. After a decade in journalism, she left the field and became a lawyer to support her family.
Over her long and distinguished career, she has published a large body of work, including six short story collections, a novel, and an essay collection. However, her sharp and powerful writing has also made her a target of hatred.
Besides her award-winning work, she has written six short story collections, a novel, an essay collection, and a poetry collection. She has received recognition from the Karnataka Sahitya Academy and the Daana Chintamani Attimabbe awards for her contributions. Additionally, her first five short stories were published together in a single volume titled Haseena Matthu Ithara Kathegalu in 2013, and in 2023, another collection called Hennu Haddina Swayamvara was released.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hindustan Times
38 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
14 years after death, Husain remains on saffron radar
MUMBAI: More than two dozen rare paintings by M F Husain will go under the hammer on June 12, evoking a sense of déjà vu. The Indian modernist has, over the years, drawn the attention of saffron outfits, not so much for his artistic genius but his bold and controversial depiction of Indian gods and goddesses and, on one occasion, Bharat Mata (Mother India). It is this sense of outrage accompanied by protest that has returned 14 years after the artist's passing. The 25 Husains to be auctioned on June 12 have been caught in legal crosshairs. These paintings were secured by the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Ltd (NAFED) as part of a case involving an unpaid loan of ₹236 crore by industrialist Guru Swarup Srivastava's Swarup Group of Industries. The artworks are part of Husain's 'Our Planet Called Earth' series and titled under the auction theme 'MF Husain: An Artist's Vision of the XX Century'. The price they fetch at the auction, at the Pundole Art Gallery, will contribute to the recovery of the loan default. Srivastava in 2004 had commissioned Husain to paint 100 works, for ₹1 crore each. The artist, aged 90 then, completed 25 paintings in the series. In 2006, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) initiated a probe into the Swarup Group for alleged misappropriation of ₹150 crore from a ₹236-crore loan from NAFED. In 2008, a tribunal permitted NAFED to secure assets of ₹100 crore, including the Husain paintings. The artworks have been locked up in a bank vault since. Now, the Hindu Janajagruti Samiti, which has raised its voice against Husain's work before, has called for a ban on the June 12 auction. Claiming that Husain has hurt Hindu and national sentiments, the outfit has warned of 'strong public protest' if the auction goes through. A delegation of the samiti has submitted a memorandum to the office of the Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Mumbai Police Commissioner and the District Collector, demanding a ban on the auction. The samiti and other right-wing outfits were particularly enraged and called for Husain's arrest several years ago, when he exhibited a painting titled 'Bharat Mata'. The artwork depicted the map of India as an unclothed female figure that bore the names of Indian cities on her body. Saffron outfits and activists vandalised Husain's shows in several India cities, and the artist eventually apologised for hurting people's sentiments, although he claimed the name 'Bharat Mata' had not been assigned to the painting by him. Nevertheless, a legal battle ensued and, in September 2008, the Supreme Court dismissed a petition against Husain, stating the painting was a 'work of art'. But repeated conflicts with saffron outfits and hundreds of complaints filed against him forced Husain to leave India in 2005. He died in London in 2011. 'He deliberately painted vulgar and obscene images of goddesses Saraswati, Parvati, Ganga and Yamuna, thereby gravely hurting the sentiments of millions of Hindus in the world. Over 1,250 police complaints were filed across India against these offensive depictions… Holding an auction of Husain's paintings is like indirectly supporting his previous anti-national and anti-social acts. Glorifying such individuals under the guise of 'artistic freedom' is unacceptable,' said the letter submitted by the samiti. Sunil Ghanwat, state coordinator of the Hindu Janajaruti Samiti, said, 'Legal action should be taken against individuals, organisations or galleries involved in displaying or selling such works. The dissemination of artwork that insults national or religious sentiments must be prohibited. Additionally, the insulting painting of Bharat Mata should be officially declared as anti-national and destroyed.' Asked if they had information that some of those controversial paintings were to be auctioned, Ghanwat said they were not protesting any paintings in particular; they were opposing the artist Husain. Dadiba Pundole from Pundole Art Gallery said, 'The court has ordered us to conduct the auction of Husain's paintings. It will be conducted as per schedule. If anyone has any objections, they are free to go to court.'
News18
an hour ago
- News18
Sonam Kapoor Turns 40: How Bollywood's Style Star Ruled Global Fashion
Last Updated: Sonam Kapoor Ahuja is one of the fashion divas of Bollywood and a globally celebrated fashion icon. As she turns 40, we look back at her journey. Happy Birthday Sonam Kapoor: Sonam Kapoor Ahuja is undoubtedly the fashion trendsetter of Bollywood. Born to parents Sunita and Anil Kapoor, Sonam has left an impressionable mark with her distinctive style. Sonam, who debuted with a Sanjay Leela Bhansali directorial in 2007, is also known to speak her mind and has often had to face trolling because of it. Her evolution from a Bollywood actor to an international fashion icon was the result of her passion for style and cultural representation. Sonam, who was Bhansali's assistant director on Black, made sartorial choices that often blend traditional Indian attire with contemporary fashion. Ahead of the actor's 40th birthday on June 9, here's a look back on her journey from an actor to a global fashion icon. Sonam Kapoor's Journey Sonam Kapoor, who began her career with Saawariya, got her first commercial success in 2010 with I Hate Luv Stories. However, she played repetitive characters after starring in the rom-com opposite Imran Khan. However, Anand L Rai's Raanjhanaa gave her a fresh start. Balancing her Bollywood career, the actor was crafting a unique fashion narrative on the side. In collaboration with her sister Rhea Kapoor, the Bhaag Milkha Bhaag actor launched a high-street fashion label RHESON to make high fashion accessible to the youth. Kapoor Ahuja turned heads at international events like the Cannes Film Festival; in 2011, she debuted on the French Riviera in a vintage Jean Paul Gaultier gown. Her bold fashion choices resonated with the audience across the world. The Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga actor, in 2024, was named as Dior's first South Asian global ambassador. Interestingly, her connection with the brand goes back to her 2010 film Aisha, which was loosely based on Jane Austen's Emma. In that film, Kapoor Ahuja seamlessly wove luxury fashion into Bollywood's costume design. Sonam Kapoor Ahuja actively supports home-grown labels which focus on organic and upcycled materials, setting new standards for eco-friendly glamour in the industry. Sonam Kapoor Ahuja on her style Kapoor Ahuja's journey is not just about her wardrobe; it is about sharing her story and expressing her identity. In a conversation with the Times of India, she expressed that fashion is a powerful means of self-expression, allowing her to connect with her roots while embracing modernity. Her style often pays homage to Indian culture while incorporating contemporary designs, creating a beautiful blend that bridges Eastern traditions with Western fashion trends. As she continues to grace global platforms, Kapoor emerges as a beacon of cultural pride and innovative ideas in fashion. First Published: June 09, 2025, 07:15 IST
Hindustan Times
an hour ago
- Hindustan Times
Tony Awards 2025: Sarah Snook is Best Actress, Stranger Things wins big; check out full list of winners
The 78th annual Tony Awards was hosted by Cynthia Erivo on Sunday in New York City. Succession star Sarah Snook took home the Tony Award trophy for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play for her work in The Picture of Dorian Gray. Kara Young became the first Black person to win two Tonys consecutively. The nominations across 26 competitive categories were announced on May 1. (Also Read | Tony Awards cap a record-breaking post-pandemic Broadway season) English The Hills of California John Proctor is the Villain Oh, Mary! Buena Vista Social Club Dead Outlaw Death Becomes Her Maybe Happy Ending Operation Mincemeat: A New Musical Eureka Day Romeo + Juliet Thornton Wilder's Our Town Yellow Face Floyd Collins Gypsy Pirates! The Penzance Musical Sunset Blvd. Buena Vista Social Club Dead Outlaw Death Becomes Her Operation Mincemeat: A New Musical Dead Outlaw Death Becomes Her Operation Mincemeat: A New Musical Real Women Have Curves: The Musical George Clooney, Good Night, and Good Luck Cole Escola, Oh, Mary! Jon Michael Hill, Purpose Daniel Dae Kim, Yellow Face Harry Lennix, Purpose Louis McCartney, Stranger Things: The First Shadow Laura Donnelly, The Hills of California Mia Farrow, The Roommate LaTanya Richardson Jackson, Purpose Sadie Sink, John Proctor is the Villain Darren Criss, Maybe Happy Ending Andrew Durand, Dead Outlaw Tom Francis, Sunset Blvd. Jonathan Groff, Just in Time James Monroe Iglehart, A Wonderful World: The Louis Armstrong Musical Jeremy Jordan, Floyd Collins Megan Hilty, Death Becomes Her Audra McDonald, Gypsy Jasmine Amy Rogers, BOOP! The Musical Nicole Scherzinger, Sunset Blvd. Jennifer Simard, Death Becomes Her Glenn Davis, Purpose Gabriel Ebert, John Proctor is the Villain Bob Odenkirk, Glengarry Glen Ross Conrad Ricamora, Oh, Mary! Tala Ashe, English Jessica Hecht, Eureka Day Marjan Neshat, English Fina Strazza, John Proctor is the Villain Brooks Ashmanskas, SMASH Jeb Brown, Dead Outlaw Danny Burstein, Gypsy Taylor Trensch, Floyd Collins Julia Knitel, Dead Outlaw Gracie Lawrence, Just in Time Justina Machado, Real Women Have Curves: The Musical Joy Woods, Gypsy English The Hills of California The Picture of Dorian Gray Good Night, and Good Luck Swept Away Buena Vista Social Club Death Becomes Her Just in Time Brenda Abbandandolo, Good Night, and Good Luck Rob Howell, The Hills of California Holly Pierson, Oh, Mary! Brigitte Reiffenstuel, Stranger Things: The First Shadow Dede Ayite, Buena Vista Social Club Gregg Barnes, BOOP! The Musical Clint Ramos, Maybe Happy Ending Catherine Zuber, Just in Time The Hills of California Good Night, and Good Luck John Proctor is the Villain The Picture of Dorian Gray Buena Vista Social Club Floyd Collins Maybe Happy Ending Death Becomes Her John Proctor is the Villain Good Night, and Good Luck The Hills of California The Picture of Dorian Gray Sunset Blvd. Just in Time Maybe Happy Ending Floyd Collins Knud Adams, English Sam Mendes, The Hills of California Sam Pinkleton, Oh, Mary! Danya Taymor, John Proctor is the Villain Kip Williams, The Picture of Dorian Gray Saheem Ali, Buena Vista Social Club Michael Arden, Maybe Happy Ending David Cromer, Dead Outlaw Christopher Gattelli, Death Becomes Her Jamie Lloyd, Sunset Blvd. SMASH Gypsy Death Becomes Her BOOP! The Musical Just in Time Maybe Happy Ending Floyd Collins Sunset Blvd.
