Banu Mushtaq facts for kids
Banu Mushtaq (born in 1948) is an amazing person from Karnataka, a state in southern India. She is an activist, a lawyer, and a writer. She writes in the Kannada language, but her stories have also been published in many other languages like Urdu, Hindi, Tamil, Malayalam, and English. In 2025, her collection of short stories called Heart Lamp won a very important award, the International Booker Prize. Deepa Bhasthi translated this book into English.
Early Life
Banu Mushtaq was born in 1948 in Hassan, Karnataka. When she was 8 years old, she started attending a school in Shivamogga where the lessons were taught in Kannada. She was told she needed to learn to read and write Kannada in six months. But Banu did even better than expected, starting to write after just a few days!
Unlike what was usually expected in her community, she went to university. She also married for love when she was 26 years old. Banu speaks several languages, including Kannada, Hindi, Dakhni Urdu, and English.
Career
Before becoming a full-time writer, Banu Mushtaq worked as a reporter for a newspaper called Lankesh Patrike. She also worked for a few months at All India Radio in Bengaluru.
Writing
Banu Mushtaq was interested in writing from a young age. However, she didn't become a published writer until she was 29. This was after she had her first child and was feeling sad and overwhelmed, a condition sometimes called postpartum depression. Writing became a way for her to explore her feelings and experiences. Many of her stories focus on topics important to women.
Banu Mushtaq has published many books. These include six collections of short stories, one novel, a collection of essays, and a book of poetry. One of her stories, "Kari Nagaragalu", was even made into a film called Hasina in 2003.
Heart Lamp
Heart Lamp (And Other Stories, 2025) was Banu Mushtaq's first full-length book to be translated into English. It is a collection of 12 stories that focus on women living in Muslim communities in southern India. Deepa Bhasthi chose and translated these stories, starting in 2022. The book includes stories that Banu wrote and published between 2019 and 2023.
In May 2025, Heart Lamp won the 2025 International Booker Prize. This was a very special moment because Banu Mushtaq was the first writer whose work was originally in the Kannada language to be nominated for this award. Deepa Bhasthi was also the first Indian translator to win the prize. Plus, Heart Lamp was the first collection of short stories ever to win the International Booker Prize!
Activism
Since the 1980s, Banu Mushtaq has been involved in movements that work to fight against unfairness and extreme ideas in Karnataka.
In 2000, Banu and her family faced a "social boycott" for three months. This happened because she spoke up for Muslim women to be allowed into mosques. During a social boycott, people in the community might stop talking to or interacting with the person and their family.
In the early 2000s, Banu Mushtaq joined a group called Komu Souhardha Vedike. This group works for peace between different communities. They protested against efforts to stop Muslims from visiting a special religious place in Baba Budangiri, Chikmagalur district, which is visited by people of different faiths.
Banu Mushtaq has also supported the right of Muslim students to wear headscarves (hijab) in schools. This has been a topic of debate in Karnataka.
Awards and Recognition
- Karnataka Sahitya Academy Award (1999)
- Daana Chintamani Attimabbe Award
- 2024 PEN English Translate Award, for Deepa Bhasthi's translation of Haseena and Other Stories
- 2025 International Booker Prize for Heart Lamp, translated by Deepa Bhasthi
Publications
- Heart Lamp: Selected Stories (And Other Stories, 2025) ISBN: 9781916751163
