A LITERARY LANDMARK

When I was informed, I was overwhelmed and very happy for myself, the Kannada language, the state and our entire country because it is a time for celebration," says Banu Mushtaq, in a moment of respite from what was a busy morning after the announcement of her newly-translated short story collection being longlisted for The International Booker Prize.

- MAHIMA NAGARAJU

In a landmark moment for Kannada literature, the collection, Heart Lamp (Penguin India, ₹399), has become the first Kannada book to be longlisted, among 12 others across the world, for the award which is given to books translated into English. Translator Deepa Bhasthi adds to this, saying, "We have such an amazing body of literature stretching back to over 1,000 years but unfortunately, not many translations come out, even within India, of Kannada. We are very proud and hopefully, this will encourage more translations from Kannada to English."

A Voice of Courage

The book, set to be released in April, features 12 short stories written between 1990 and 2023, revolving around the lives of ordinary girls and women in South India's Muslim communities and paints a picture of familial and communal tensions. Readers may be familiar with the story 'Black Cobras' or 'Kari Nagaragalu' which was adapted into the film