International Booker Prize Shortlist Celebrates Global Narratives

Banu Mushtaq's 'Heart Lamp', translated from Kannada by Deepa Bhasthi, has made history by being the first Kannada book shortlisted for the International Booker Prize. The prize celebrates translated fiction, emphasizing equal recognition for authors and translators, with a £50,000 award split between them. This year's shortlist, comprising entirely of independent publishers' works, includes books from diverse languages and marks first-time nominees, with nine out of 12 shortlisted authors and translators being women. Other notable shortlisted works include Solvej Balle’s 'On the Calculation of Volume: 1' and Hiromi Kawakami’s 'Under the Eye of the Big Bird'. The prize recognizes literature that prompts questions about human experience and will be announced on May 20, 2025, at the Tate Modern in London. The inclusion of Kannada language and independent publishers highlights the evolving nature of the prize, celebrating a broad spectrum of global narratives.