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CBC
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CBC
Indian author Banu Mushtaq wins International Booker Prize with short story collection
Indian author Banu Mushtaq and translator Deepa Bhasthi won the International Booker Prize for fiction for Heart Lamp, a collection of 12 short stories written over a period of more than 30 years and which chronicle the everyday lives and struggles of women in southern India. The award was announced by bestselling Booker Prize-longlisted author Max Porter in his role as chair of the five-member voting panel, at a ceremony at London's Tate Modern. The annual award celebrates the best works of fiction from around the world that have been translated into English and published in the U.K. or Ireland. The £50,000 (approx. $93,188 Cdn) grand prize is divided equally between writer and translator. There were no Canadians nominated this year. The 2025 CBC Poetry Prize is now open The prize was set up to boost the profile of fiction in other languages — which accounts for only a small share of books published in Britain — and to salute the underappreciated work of literary translators. It is the first time the International Booker Prize has been given to a collection of short stories. Bhasthi is the first Indian translator — and ninth female translator — to win the prize since it took on its current form in 2016. Mushtaq is the sixth female author to be awarded the prize since then. Written in Kannada, which is spoken by around 65 million people, primarily in southern India, Porter praised the "radical" nature of the translation, adding that "it's been a joy" to listen to the evolving appreciation of the stories by members of the jury. "These beautiful, busy, life-affirming stories rise from Kannada, interspersed with the extraordinary socio-political richness of other languages and dialects," said Porter. "It speaks of women's lives, reproductive rights, faith, caste, power and oppression." The book, which beat five other finalists, comprises stories written from 1990 to 2023. They were selected and curated by Bhasthi, who was keen to preserve the multilingual nature of southern India in her translation. Mushtaq, who is a lawyer and activist as well as writer, told a short list reading event on Sunday that the stories "are about women – how religion, society and politics demand unquestioning obedience from them, and in doing so, inflict inhumane cruelty upon them, turning them into mere subordinates." The prize money is to be divided equally between author and translator. Each is presented with a trophy too. Last year's winner was German author Jenny Erpenbeck for Kairos, the story of a tangled love affair during the final years of East Germany's existence, translated by Michael Hofmann.
The Hindu
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
A fond farewell to C. Venkatachalam who built Chennai's Ega theatre
It was in the April 30 edition of this column that I wrote about the song O Bak Bak Bak Bakum Bakum Mada Pura from the 1962 film Annai, speculating on the Madras bungalow where it was shot. I had in that column veered towards A. Nagappa Chettiar's bungalow Uma Bhavanam on Spur Tank Road. But even then, I had my doubts, because the building in the song is clearly colonial, while Nagappa Chettiar's house is Art Deco. I had wondered if the house had been remodelled since the song, but I now stand corrected. However, C. Venkatachalam, the one person who could have reassured me beyond any doubt, died last week and so this column is a tribute to him as well. Mudaliandan's house But firstly, about the song. I was pleasantly surprised to receive an email from Chandrika Badrinath from London, stating that the house where this song was shot was the residence of C. Mudaliandan Chetty on Poonamallee High Road. The RBI quarters in the song cannot be seen from Spur Tank Road, she says. She would know, considering that all her childhood was spent at Ajmer, the residence of her father T.K. Singaram and grandfather T.S. Kachapikesan's on Poonamallee High Road. And, she added most helpfully, she recalls the shooting of the song very well because it created quite a stir, especially among the house help. I realise it is Ajmer that is the neighbouring bungalow seen in the song. The house that Chandrika refers to, known as Manohar, stands behind the Ega/AnuEga theatres on Poonamallee High Road, with Vasu (Naidu) Street separating it from where Ajmer stood. C. Mudaliandan Chetty's is one of the historic Arya Vysya families of Madras, their fortunes made in condiments. The business was begun in 1884 by E(ga) Venkatakistnamah Chetty and by 1917, when Somerset Playne wrote his landmark Southern India, was run by the founder's grandson, Candalagadda Manavala Chetty. Mudaliandan Chetty was the latter's son. The family subsequently branched out into other activities. New Year party Manohar is a residence I knew very well at one time because Mudaliandan Chetty's son, C. Venkatachalam, was a family friend. For years, he hosted a New Year party on his front lawn, before that space was swallowed by a high rise. It was also Venkatachalam who built Ega/Anu Ega in the 1980s on a corner of the family plot. It was where many Hindi films, in particular, celebrated silver jubilees. No matter what the rush of bookings be, 'Uncle Venkat' was just a phone call away to usher you into a box. The same went for darshan at Srirangam. The Ega family ran a guest house there and a bonus was that the caretaker sold some wonderful pickles and masala papads. Among the many Arya Vysya charities Venkatachalam served on was the Sri Kanyaka Parameswari Devasthanam. He was among the visionaries that retrieved the property from the Kotwal Chavadi market and converted it into a women's college. Uncle Venkat watched my writing career with interest, though he always told N. Krishnan, my father-in-law and his bosom pal, that I spent too much money buying books. He had a sharp eye for finding errors in any Arya Vysya history that S. Muthiah or I wrote about and would immediately call to correct us. As he aged, we corresponded less and last week I spoke to his son Parankusan, asking if I could meet the old man on the Annai song. He would be delighted was the response, but then, Uncle Venkat passed on, on Friday. I hope he was smiling till the end. (V. Sriram is a writer and historian.)
Asharq Al-Awsat
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Indian Author Banu Mushtaq Wins International Booker Prize with Short Story Collection
Indian author Banu Mushtaq and translator Deepa Bhasthi won the International Booker Prize for fiction Tuesday for 'Heart Lamp,' a collection of 12 short stories written over a period of more than 30 years and which chronicle the everyday lives and struggles of women in southern India. The award was announced by bestselling Booker Prize-longlisted author Max Porter in his role as chair of the five-member voting panel, at a ceremony at London's Tate Modern. It is the first time the award has been given to a collection of short stories. Bhasthi is the first Indian translator — and ninth female translator — to win the prize since it took on its current form in 2016. Mushtaq is the sixth female author to be awarded the prize since then, The Associated Press reported. Written in Kannada, which is spoken by around 65 million people, primarily in southern India, Porter praised the 'radical' nature of the translation, adding that 'It's been a joy' to listen to the evolving appreciation of the stories by members of the jury. 'These beautiful, busy, life-affirming stories rise from Kannada, interspersed with the extraordinary socio-political richness of other languages and dialects," said Porter. 'It speaks of women's lives, reproductive rights, faith, caste, power and oppression.' The book, which beat five other finalists, comprises stories written from 1990 to 2023. They were selected and curated by Bhasthi, who was keen to preserve the multilingual nature of southern India in her translation. Mushtaq, who is a lawyer and activist as well as writer, told a short list reading event on Sunday that the stories 'are about women – how religion, society and politics demand unquestioning obedience from them, and in doing so, inflict inhumane cruelty upon them, turning them into mere subordinates.' The 50,000-pound ($66,000) prize money is to be divided equally between author and translator. Each is presented with a trophy too. The International Booker Prize is awarded every year. It is run alongside the Booker Prize for English-language fiction, which will be handed out in the fall.
The Independent
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Watch the moment Banu Mushtaq's Heart Lamp wins Booker Prize
Audience members rejoiced as Banu Mushtaq's Heart Lamp was announced as the winner of the International Booker Prize 2025 on Tuesday, 20 May. The Indian author's award for her short story collection marks the first win for a title translated from Kannada, a major language spoken by an estimated 65 million people. Mushtaq, a lawyer and activist, will split the £50,000 prize money with Deepa Bhasthi, the book's translator. Heart Lamp centres on 12 short stories about the experiences of Muslim women living in southern India.
Khaleej Times
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Khaleej Times
Banu Mushtaq's short story collection 'Heart Lamp' wins International Booker Prize
Indian writer and woman activist Banu Mushtaq scripted history by winning the International Booker prize for the short story anthology, Heart Lamp in 2025. It is the first short-story collection and a Kannada book to win the honour in London on May 20. Originally written in Kannada, the stories in Heart Lamp were translated into English by Deepa Bhasthi. She was also honoured with the International Booker Prize along with writer Mushtaq. According to the Booker Prize website, Heart Lamp is a collection of 12 short stories chronicling the everyday lives of women and girls in patriarchal communities in southern India. The collection of 12 stories spans more than 30 years, written between 1990 and 2023. Mushtaq is the author of six short-story collections, a novel, an essay collection and a poetry collection. Holding expertise in Kannada, the writer has won major awards for her literary works, including the Karnataka Sahitya Academy and the Daana Chintamani Attimabbe awards. Heart Lamp is the first book-length translation of Mushtaq's work into English. Mushtaq becomes the second Indian writer to win the International Booker Prize, while Heart Lamp is the first winner book to be translated from Kannada. As for Deepa Bhasthi, she is a writer and literary translator based in Kodagu, southern India. Her published translations from Kannada include a novel by Kota Shivarama Karanth and a collection of short stories by Kodagina Gouramma. The Chief Minister of Karnataka, Siddaramaiah, also congratulated the writer Mushtaq for winning the International Booker Prize 2025 on Wednesday. "Heartfelt congratulations to Kannada's pride, author Banu Mushtaq, who has been awarded the International Booker Prize," he wrote on X. "This is a moment of celebration for Kannada, Kannadigas, and Karnataka. Banu Mushtaq, who embodies and writes with the true values of this land, which is harmony, secularism, and brotherhood, has raised the flag of Kannada's greatness on the international stage and brought honor to all of us." He also congratulated writer Deepa Bhasthi for the English translation of Heart Lamp. "I wish that she continues to write with strength and spirit for a long time, spreading the essence of Kannada across the world. On behalf of all Kannadigas, I also extend congratulations to the talented writer Deepa Bhasthi, who translated Banu Mushtaq's Booker Prize-winning work Hridaya Deepa into English Heart Lamp," Deepa Bhasthi said. Max Porter, Chair of the International Booker Prize 2025 judges praised the book and called it a "joy" to listen to the "evolving appreciation" of the book from the different perspectives of the jury. "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. We are thrilled to share this timely and exciting winner of the International Booker Prize 2025 with readers around the world," said Max Porter as quoted by The Booker Prizes website. (ANI)
