BALLARI: Renowned writer and International Booker Prize winner Banu Mushtaq has been chosen as the president of the 88th Akhila Bharata Kannada Sahitya Sammelana to be held in Ballari. The decision was taken at an executive committee meeting led by Kannada Sahitya Parishat president Nadoja Mahesh Joshi.
The meeting unanimously elected Banu Mushtaq as the president of the literary conference. Banu Mushtaq recently won the International Booker Prize for her work ‘Heart Lamp’.
Banu Mushtaq’s book “Hasina and Other Stories” has gained international recognition, and her selection as the president of the literary conference is a testament to her literary contributions. The English translation of her book, “Heart Lamp,” won the prestigious Booker Prize, which comes with prize money of 50,000 pounds (approximately Rs 57.28 lakh). The translation was done by Deepa Bhasthi and the book features 12 stories about the daily lives of Muslim girls and women.
The stories are based on the real-life experiences of Muslim girls and women, and the book has received critical acclaim. The award was officially announced at an event held at Tate Modern in London on May 21. The book has also won the PEN Translates award, further recognizing its literary merit.
