Heart Lamp by Banu Mushtaq. Presented by Veena Ravi Kumar 24th August 2025

The Book Club Pune meeting featured a discussion of Banu Mushtak's "Heart Lamp," which recently won the International Booker Prize. Veena Ravi Kumar presented an analysis of the book's 12 short stories, which depict the lives of Muslim women and address themes of religious oppression, gender inequality, and patriarchal attitudes. The discussion highlighted the book's unique translation by Deepa Bhashti, which preserved Kannada language and cultural elements, and Veena noted that Banu Mushtak's work reflects both universal and regional experiences.