Have a look at the bio, family and religion of writer Banu Mushtaq
Banu Mushtaq is a Kannada writer who recently won the International Booker Prize 2025 with her short story collection Heart Lamp, find out more about her below.
Banu won the prestigious award alongside Deepa Bhasthi, who translated her work from Kannada to English.
Who is Banu Mushtaq, author of Heart Lamp, winner of Booker Prize 2025, biography, age, husband, family, children, education and religion
We're delighted to announce that the winner of the #InternationalBooker2025 is Heart Lamp by Banu Mushtaq, translated by Deepa Bhasthi.
Here's everything you need to know about the book: https://t.co/wPRGqgrQyc pic.twitter.com/tVFxwSGhZo
— The Booker Prizes (@TheBookerPrizes) May 20, 2025
Banu Mushtaq’s International Booker win for 'Hridaya Deepa' or 'Heart Lamp' is a historic moment—for Kannada literature, and for India. It’s a proud affirmation that stories from the margins, when told with sincerity, can move the world.
My heartfelt congratulations to Banu… pic.twitter.com/uFtxHGC4qS
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) May 21, 2025
Following her win, Banu becomes the first Kannada author to ever win the International Booker Prize.
Banu Mushtaq wins International Booker Prize 2025
Renowned Kannada writer Banu Mushtaq made history after becoming the first-ever Kannada writer to win the International Booker Prize 2025 with her short story collection Heart Lamp. She won the prize alongside another writer Deepa Bhasthi, who translated it for her to English. Notably, the collection spans over three decades of stories about Muslim women in Karnataka. While giving her acceptance speech, Banu stated:
This is not just my victory, but a chorus of voices often left unheard.”
Banu Mushtaq bio and age
Banu Mushtaq from Hassan is a Kannada writer, lawyer and social activist who was born in 1948 in the town of Hassan, Karnataka. She is currently 77 years old, and she grew up in a very conservative Muslim family, experiencing a very unique upbringing. Banu grew up studying the Quran at home in Urdu while attending a Kannada-medium convent school. This dual exposure helped her shape a unique literary identity.
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By the time she was eight years old, she was already penning stories and has, over the years, focused her writing on the lives of marginalized women across Karnataka. Notably, Banu can speak in Kannada, Hindi, Dakhni Urdu, and English.
Education
Banu Mushtaq attended a Covenant school during her early years, and later pursued higher education, defying all societal expectations for girls during her time. She later studied and even practiced law which further sharpened her political awareness and commitment to social justice.
Her father, a government employee, wanted more for her and at the age of eight, enrolled her in a convent school. At age 8, Mushtaq was enrolled in a Kannada-language missionary school in Shivamogga.
Marriage and Children
Banu Mushtaq married at the young age of 26 for love, a bold move that distanced her from both family and community. Following her marriage, she had one child, and she openly shares about how she experienced postpartum depression.
Banu’s husband Mushtaq shared the joy of his wife winning the Booker Prize with his son Taheer, daughter-in-law Yasin, and granddaughter by sharing sweets.
Writing career and achievements
In the past, Banu Mushtaq has worked as a reporter for the newspaper Lankesh Patrike. She has also worked for All India Radio in Bengaluru. As a writer, Banu has published six short story collections, besides a novel, a poetry collection, and a book of essays. She gained prominence with her breakout piece, Kari Nagaragalu, which later got adapted into the award-winning film Hasina in 2003.
Over the years, her stories have been translated into multiple Indian languages, but Heart Lamp was her first English-translated book. She mainly writes on lived experience, particularly about Muslim women fighting for dignity, communities navigating oppression, and the subtle rebellions of everyday life. Aside from the recent International Booker Prize, Banu has notably won the Karnataka Sahitya Academy Award and the Daana Chintamani Attimabbe Award.