Indian Laureates of the Booker and International Booker Prize

CURRENT AFFAIRS: International Booker Prize 2025 Winner, Heart Lamp Kannada Literature, Banu Mushtaq Short Stories, Deepa Bhasthi Translator, Bandaya Sahitya Movement, Booker Prize Indian Authors, Man Booker Award India, Indian Literary Awards

Indian Laureates of the Booker and International Booker Prize

A Milestone for Kannada Literature: International Booker 2025

Indian Laureates of the Booker and International Booker Prize: In a historic achievement for Indian regional literature, Banu Mushtaq’s short story anthology “Heart Lamp”, translated into English by Deepa Bhasthi, secured the 2025 International Booker Prize. This marks the first time a Kannada-language work has won this globally esteemed award, bringing long-overdue attention to vernacular Indian narratives and their cultural richness. The stories explore themes of female resistance and social inequality, rooted in the spirit of the Bandaya Sahitya movement that transformed Kannada literature in the 1970s by challenging caste and gender hierarchies.

About the International Booker Prize

Presented by the Booker Prize Foundation (UK), the International Booker Prize celebrates the best works of fiction in translation published in the UK or Ireland. Both novels and short story collections are eligible. The winning author and translator equally share a cash prize of £50,000, while £2,500 is awarded to each shortlisted author-translator team. This initiative not only highlights literary excellence but also honours the crucial role of translators in bridging linguistic and cultural gaps.

Indian Writers Who Won Booker & International Booker

India has a proud legacy at both the Booker Prize and International Booker Prize, with works in English and Indian languages earning global recognition. While English-language authors like V.S. Naipaul, Arundhati Roy, and Aravind Adiga have made their mark since the 1970s, the last two decades have seen an increase in recognition of translated Indian literature, beginning with Geetanjali Shree’s Tomb of Sand in 2022 and now Heart Lamp in 2025.

The Rise of Regional Voices in Global Literature

The victory of Heart Lamp reflects a growing global appreciation for India’s regional literary traditions. With its roots in the Bandaya movement, the work underscores the power of literature as resistance—especially from marginalised communities and women writers. This win not only honours Banu Mushtaq and Deepa Bhasthi but also opens doors for other regional Indian languages to be heard on the world stage.

Static GK Snapshot

Year Author / Translator Work Language Prize Type
1971 V.S. Naipaul In a Free State English Booker Prize
1981 Salman Rushdie Midnight’s Children English Booker Prize
1997 Arundhati Roy The God of Small Things English Booker Prize
2006 Kiran Desai The Inheritance of Loss English Booker Prize
2008 Aravind Adiga The White Tiger English Booker Prize
2022 Geetanjali Shree / Daisy Rockwell Tomb of Sand Hindi International Booker
2025 Banu Mushtaq / Deepa Bhasthi Heart Lamp Kannada International Booker
Indian Laureates of the Booker and International Booker Prize
  1. Banu Mushtaq won the 2025 International Booker Prize for her Kannada short story collection Heart Lamp.
  2. The book Heart Lamp was translated into English by Deepa Bhasthi.
  3. This marks the first time a Kannada work has won the International Booker Prize.
  4. The anthology explores female resistance and social inequality.
  5. Heart Lamp is rooted in the Bandaya Sahitya movement of the 1970s.
  6. The Bandaya movement in Kannada literature challenged caste and gender hierarchies.
  7. The International Booker Prize is presented by the Booker Prize Foundation, UK.
  8. The prize celebrates the best fiction in translation published in the UK or Ireland.
  9. The £50,000 prize is equally divided between the author and translator.
  10. Each shortlisted team also receives £2,500.
  11. Geetanjali Shree and Daisy Rockwell won the 2022 International Booker for Tomb of Sand in Hindi.
  12. S. Naipaul won the 1971 Booker Prize for In a Free State.
  13. Salman Rushdie won the 1981 Booker Prize for Midnight’s Children.
  14. Arundhati Roy became a Booker laureate in 1997 with The God of Small Things.
  15. Kiran Desai won the 2006 Booker Prize for The Inheritance of Loss.
  16. Aravind Adiga won the 2008 Booker Prize for The White Tiger.
  17. The rise of Heart Lamp marks a new era for Indian regional literature on the global stage.
  18. The International Booker win brings global focus to vernacular Indian narratives.
  19. The Booker and International Booker recognise both original English and translated works.
  20. India now has laureates in both Booker and International Booker Prize categories.

Q1. Which Indian regional language work won the 2025 International Booker Prize?


Q2. Who translated Banu Mushtaq’s Heart Lamp into English, contributing to its International Booker win?


Q3. What movement inspired the themes in Heart Lamp, focusing on female resistance and social inequality?


Q4. What is the total prize money awarded to the winning author and translator team of the International Booker Prize?


Q5. Which Indian work was the first to win the International Booker Prize in translation before Heart Lamp?


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