It was a proud moment for Karnataka and the Kannada literary world as Deepa Bhasthi won the prestigious International Booker Prize for her translation of Edeya Hanate (Heart Lamp), written by Banu Mushtaq. The award ceremony took place at the famous Tate Modern in London, where Bhasthi gave an emotional speech celebrating her mother tongue, Kannada.
A Historic Win for Kannada Literature
Standing in front of a global audience, Deepa Bhasthi began her speech in Kannada. She quoted a beloved line from a Rajkumar song, calling Kannada “a river of honey, a rain of milk, and sweet ambrosia.” Her words won loud applause and touched many hearts. She proudly said, “What a win this is for my beautiful language,” adding that Kannada is one of the oldest languages on Earth and deserves more love in reading, writing, and translation.
Her Journey from Kodagu to London
Deepa Bhasthi is originally from Kodagu district in Karnataka. She studied at Kodagu Vidyalaya and then moved to Mangaluru to complete her graduation in mass communication. She began her career in Bengaluru as a print journalist before becoming a freelance writer and literary translator. Her hard work and love for language led her to this international honour.
Support from Home in Madikeri
While Bhasthi was celebrating in London, her husband Chettira Sujan Nanaiah watched the proud moment from their farmhouse in Madikeri. The artist-turned-farmer, surrounded by their five dogs, shared that Bhasthi was still in joyful shock. “I’m extremely proud of her,” he said. The couple had moved to Madikeri during the pandemic and have since lived close to nature. He was the one to break the happy news to her parents, who became emotional and proud.
A Translation that Took Three Years
Speaking to TOI earlier, Bhasthi said that writer Banu Mushtaq had approached her in 2022 to translate Heart Lamp. She immediately felt a deep connection with the stories and started working on the translation. The project took almost three years. Bhasthi shared that Banu’s stories included many region-specific Kannada words from the Hassan area, which made the translation a unique challenge.
Translation as a Team Effort
Bhasthi believes translation is not a solo job but a collaboration. “A translator is absolutely at the same level as the writer,” she said. Her dedication and respect for language and culture were clearly seen in her work.
What’s Next for Bhasthi?
This International Booker Prize win is not the end, but just the beginning for Deepa Bhasthi. She announced that her next work will be a translation of a debut author’s short novel. With her talent and passion, readers can expect more powerful stories to come alive in Kannada and beyond.
Deepa Bhasthi’s win is a proud moment not just for her family and Karnataka, but for every lover of Kannada literature. Her victory is a shining reminder that regional languages hold deep stories that deserve to be shared with the world. As Bhasthi herself said, this recognition is only the beginning.
FAQs
Who is Deepa Bhasthi?
She is a translator and writer from Kodagu, Karnataka, who won the International Booker Prize for translating Edeya Hanate.
What is Heart Lamp?
Heart Lamp is the English translation of the Kannada book Edeya Hanate written by Banu Mushtaq.
What did Bhasthi say in her speech?
She began her speech in Kannada, calling it a language of honey, milk, and ambrosia, and celebrated the win for her mother tongue.
Where is Deepa Bhasthi from?
She is from Kodagu district and now lives in Madikeri with her husband and pets.
What is Deepa Bhasthi working on next?
She will be translating a short novel written by a debut author.
