The 2025 international bookers prize is extraordinary in many respects. It is the first time for a Kannada work to receive the highest prize for fiction. After Geetanjali Sri’s “Ret Samadhi” this is the second translation of an Indian language literary work to win the booker. It recognizes the vast repository of human experiences nestled within the vernacular and provincial languages beyond the universalist claims of European languages. Kannada is a classical language with a continuous vibrant literary tradition , the award may invite greater attention of good translators towards our classical languages. The winner Ms Banu Mushtaq needs to be celebrated in her own right. She has helped raise the image of Muslim women from the bigoted stereotypes and her struggle against conservative elements in her community makes the award doubly special. Starting as a journalist for the famed “Lankesh Patrika” she has carried forward the rich legacy of progressive writing. As a Muslim, as a woman and as a Kannadiga she has a a body of difficult lived experiences. The award should make the world more aware of these.
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