On May 20, 2025, the International Booker Prize was awarded at the Tate Modern in London. Indian author Banu Mushtaq and translator Deepa Bhasthi received the award for Heart Lamp, a collection of 12 short stories. The stories were written in Kannada between 1990 and 2023. Kannada is spoken by about 65 million people in southern India. This is the first time the award has been given to a short story collection. The book focuses on the lives of women in southern India and highlights regional traditions. It was selected from six finalists for its strong representation of women and culture.

The translator arranged the stories to preserve the multilingual character of southern India. The chair of the judging panel said the translation was radical and showed socio-political depth. The stories discuss important topics such as caste, inequality, and women’s rights. Mushtaq, a lawyer and activist, said the stories show how religion and society can hurt women. The prize includes £50,000, which will be distributed equally between the author and the translator. Each winner will also receive a trophy. The award honors literary excellence in translated books and may bring more recognition to regional works through the power of translation.