International Booker Prize Longlist Features Kannada Writer Banu Mushtaq

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The International Booker Prize longlist has been announced, and among the 13 books featured is a collection of short stories called "Heart Lamp" by Kannada writer Banu Mushtaq, translated by Deepa Bhasthi. This is a significant milestone for Kannada literature, as it is the first time a Kannada author has been longlisted for the prize since UR Ananthamurthy in 2013. The news has sent shockwaves of excitement among Kannada literature enthusiasts, who are thrilled to see their language and culture being recognized on a global platform.

Banu Mushtaq's journey to the International Booker Prize longlist began in the early 1970s, when she was a young woman studying to be a lawyer in Hassan. During this time, the non-brahmin movements in Karnataka were gaining momentum, and the traditionally landowning communities like Lingayats and Vokkaligas were rising to positions of power. However, this also led to growing dissatisfaction among Dalits, who felt left behind. It was in this fertile ground that the Dalit movement began to take shape, with writers and thinkers like Siddalingaiah and DR Nagaraj emerging as prominent voices. The "Boosa controversy" of 1973, in which minister B Basavalingappa was forced to resign after allegedly equating Kannada literature to "boosa" (cattle fodder), further ignited the Dalit consciousness and paved the way for the founding of the Dalit Sangharsha Samiti (DSS) in 1974.

The DSS movement gave birth to a new paradigm for socially responsible Kannada literature, known as Bandaya (rebel) Sahitya. This movement brought together writers from marginalized communities, including Dalits, Muslims, and women, and provided a platform for their voices to be heard. Banu Mushtaq, who was just 25 years old when the first Bandaya Sahitya Sammelana was held in 1979, was one of the young and talented writers who emerged from this movement. Her writing is characterized by its fierce social and political consciousness, and her short story collection "Heart Lamp" is a testament to the power of Kannada literature to tell stories that need to be told.

The International Booker Prize longlist features a diverse range of books from around the world, including novels and short story collections translated into English. The shortlist of six books will be announced on April 8, and the winner will be announced on May 20. The prize is considered one of the most prestigious literary awards in the world, and the longlisting of Banu Mushtaq's "Heart Lamp" is a significant recognition of the growing importance of Indian languages in global literary circles. Other notable books on the longlist include Han Kang's "We Do Not Part", Mircea Cărtărescu's "Solenoid", and Geetanjali Shree's "Our City That Year".

In related news, the Hindu on Books newsletter has featured reviews of several new books, including Arun Shourie's "The New Icon: Savarkar and the Facts", Easterine Kire's poetry collection "Freerain", and Sujit Saraf's novel "Island". The newsletter also includes an interview with Dhirendra Jha, who has written a new book on Madhav Sadashiv Golwalkar, the former leader of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). The book, titled "Golwalkar: The Myth Behind the Man, The Man Behind the Machine", explores Golwalkar's ideology and its impact on the RSS and the Hindu supremacist movement in India. Some of the notable books and authors mentioned in the article include:

• Han Kang's "We Do Not Part"
• Mircea Cărtărescu's "Solenoid"
• Geetanjali Shree's "Our City That Year"
• Arun Shourie's "The New Icon: Savarkar and the Facts"
• Easterine Kire's "Freerain"
• Sujit Saraf's "Island"
• Dhirendra Jha's "Golwalkar: The Myth Behind the Man, The Man Behind the Machine"