Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah lauds Banu Mushtaq’s International Booker win

Banu Mushtaq's short story collection Hridaya Deepa (Heart Lamp) bagged the £50,000 award at a ceremony held at London’s Tate Modern on Tuesday night.

Karnataka’s literary circles erupted in celebration after acclaimed writer, activist, and lawyer Banu Mushtaq became the first Kannada author to win the prestigious International Booker Prize. 

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah was among the first to congratulate Mushtaq.

Her short story collection Hridaya Deepa (Heart Lamp), translated into English by Deepa Bhasthi, bagged the £50,000 award at a ceremony held at London’s Tate Modern on Tuesday night.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah was among the first to congratulate Mushtaq, hailing the recognition as a proud moment for the state and for Kannada literature.

“She has raised the flag of Kannada’s greatness at the international level and brought honour to all Kannadigas,” the CM said in a post on X. Praising the themes of secularism, harmony, and brotherhood in her writing, Siddaramaiah wished her continued success and expressed hope that she would keep contributing meaningfully to Kannada literature.

Check out his post here:

He also extended his congratulations to Deepa Bhasthi, whose translation made the stories accessible to a global audience. “On behalf of all Kannadigas, I also congratulate the talented translator Deepa Bhasthi for her work in bringing Hridaya Deepa to the world stage,” he added.

Union Minister and former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy echoed the sentiment, calling the win a proud moment for Karnataka. “Heartfelt congratulations to our state's proud author, Banu Mushtaq. This is a moment of pride for every Kannadiga,” he posted on X. He too lauded Bhasthi for her translation, adding that he hoped Mushtaq would continue to enrich Kannada literature with more such exceptional works.

The collection, comprising 12 short stories, offers a powerful portrayal of the resilience, resistance, humour, and solidarity among women in patriarchal communities in southern India. Drawing deeply from the oral storytelling traditions of the region, the stories span over three decades, written between 1990 and 2023.