Deepa Bhasthi’s Journey from Our Journalism Lab to Global Literary Fame

  •   Sat, May 24 2025
  •   By Yahya Abbas Ujire

May 24, 2025

"Exploring the lives of those often on the periphery of society, these vivid stories hold immense emotional and moral weight." – International Booker Prize 2025 Judges

"In a first, a story collection wins the International Booker Prize." —The New York Times

"A landmark moment for Indian literature." —The Guardian

"Deepa Bhasthi brings to the world a voice long overshadowed — Kannada literature, regional and rooted, yet universal in appeal." —BBC Culture

As I watched the live telecast from the Tate Modern in London, I couldn’t help but feel goosebumps when I heard her voice—calm, poised, and emotionally resonant. “Jenin holeyo, halin maleyo, sudheyo, Kannada savi nudio,” she said in her acceptance speech, her voice cracking ever so slightly. The auditorium erupted in applause as Deepa Bhasthi, my senior at Mangalore University, became the first translator to win the International Booker Prize 2025 for a Kannada work—Heart Lamp, a short story collection by the legendary writer and activist Banu Mushtaq.

I remember us sitting in the Mass Communication & Journalism Lab, brainstorming articles for our house journal Campus Courier. Who would've thought then that the soft-spoken girl sitting across the room, scribbling away ideas for the next student editorial, would one day become the toast of the global literary stage?

Our professor, Poornananda, recently remarked in an interview, “When blogging was a new phenomenon, Deepa embraced it with such enthusiasm that we, the faculty, actually learned from her. She introduced us to the possibilities of this emerging medium before most had even understood what a blog was.”

Prof Umesh Chandra, HOD of the department, reflected: “Deepa was a sincere student—humble, attentive, never in the spotlight. To be honest, we thought she'd remain one of those cosmetic journalists who blend into the crowd. But today, she has broken that perception and emerged as a voice of creativity, compassion, and sensitivity—especially towards women's rights and empowerment. She absolutely deserves this recognition.”

At the glitzy Booker ceremony in London, Deepa shared the stage with Banu Mushtaq in a moment that will be etched in Kannada literary history. Not only was Heart Lamp the first Kannada title to win the International Booker, but it was also the first story collection to ever win this prestigious award. In doing so, Deepa didn’t just win an award—she carried an entire language, culture, and identity onto the global stage.

Her body of work speaks volumes about her literary integrity. Before Heart Lamp, she had translated the works of Kota Shivarama Karanth and Kodagina Gouramma, giving voice to underrepresented yet powerful female narratives from Kannada literature. Heart Lamp itself, a PEN Translates Award-winning work, sheds light on lives often ignored—women on the margins, their inner storms, their quiet rebellions.

Earlier this year, I penned a reflective piece titled A Journey from Cargo to Pages: Rediscovering the Magic of Books in Doha for Daijiworld, in which I shared my literary rekindling during a book discussion on The Vegetarian by Han Kang. In passing, I also mentioned Heart Lamp—its emotional resonance and the pride I felt knowing it was translated by Deepa, my senior. To my pleasant surprise, Deepa replied with a warm note of thanks—an elegant reminder that despite her meteoric rise, she remains grounded, generous, and connected.

What makes this moment even more special for those of us from Karnataka, and specifically from the Kannada literary community, is that Deepa didn’t just translate words—she translated worlds. She channeled the spirit of Banu Mushtaq’s activism, her feminism, her commitment to social justice. In doing so, Deepa elevated not just a text, but a tradition.

Today, Deepa Bhasthi stands as an inspiration—not just to translators, but to every regional language writer, journalist, and student dreaming quietly in the corners of classrooms and campus labs. She reminds us that storytelling transcends borders, and that the hum of a local dialect can echo across the globe when spoken with truth and soul.

From Campus Courier to the International Booker, Deepa’s journey is not just hers alone—it is a beacon of hope for all of us who believe in the quiet power of words.

 

 

 
By Yahya Abbas Ujire
Yahya Abbas Ujire holds a Master’s degree in Mass Communication & Journalism from Mangalore University and a Master’s in Logistics & Supply Chain Management from Westford University. He is currently pursuing his PhD in Mass Communication & Journalism at Kuvempu University, Shimoga (Jnana Sahyadri). A passionate bilingual writer in Kannada and English, Yahya has presented research papers at several national and international conferences. With decades of experience in Abu Dhabi Ports Operations, he is currently working with Hamad Port Operations in Qatar. Contact: +974 7031 5769, Email: yahyaabbas@gmail.com, Address: Doha Jadeeda, Qatar
To submit your article / poem / short story to Daijiworld, please email it to news@daijiworld.com mentioning 'Article/poem submission for daijiworld' in the subject line. Please note the following:

  • The article / poem / short story should be original and previously unpublished in other websites except in the personal blog of the author. We will cross-check the originality of the article, and if found to be copied from another source in whole or in parts without appropriate acknowledgment, the submission will be rejected.
  • The author of the poem / article / short story should include a brief self-introduction limited to 500 characters and his/her recent picture (optional). Pictures relevant to the article may also be sent (optional), provided they are not bound by copyright. Travelogues should be sent along with relevant pictures not sourced from the Internet. Travelogues without relevant pictures will be rejected.
  • In case of a short story / article, the write-up should be at least one-and-a-half pages in word document in Times New Roman font 12 (or, about 700-800 words). Contributors are requested to keep their write-ups limited to a maximum of four pages. Longer write-ups may be sent in parts to publish in installments. Each installment should be sent within a week of the previous installment. A single poem sent for publication should be at least 3/4th of a page in length. Multiple short poems may be submitted for single publication.
  • All submissions should be in Microsoft Word format or text file. Pictures should not be larger than 1000 pixels in width, and of good resolution. Pictures should be attached separately in the mail and may be numbered if the author wants them to be placed in order.
  • Submission of the article / poem / short story does not automatically entail that it would be published. Daijiworld editors will examine each submission and decide on its acceptance/rejection purely based on merit.
  • Daijiworld reserves the right to edit the submission if necessary for grammar and spelling, without compromising on the author's tone and message.
  • Daijiworld reserves the right to reject submissions without prior notice. Mails/calls on the status of the submission will not be entertained. Contributors are requested to be patient.
  • The article / poem / short story should not be targeted directly or indirectly at any individual/group/community. Daijiworld will not assume responsibility for factual errors in the submission.
  • Once accepted, the article / poem / short story will be published as and when we have space. Publication may take up to four weeks from the date of submission of the write-up, depending on the number of submissions we receive. No author will be published twice in succession or twice within a fortnight.
  • Time-bound articles (example, on Mother's Day) should be sent at least a week in advance. Please specify the occasion as well as the date on which you would like it published while sending the write-up.

Leave a Comment

Title: Deepa Bhasthi’s Journey from Our Journalism Lab to Global Literary Fame



You have 2000 characters left.

Disclaimer:

Please write your correct name and email address. Kindly do not post any personal, abusive, defamatory, infringing, obscene, indecent, discriminatory or unlawful or similar comments. Daijiworld.com will not be responsible for any defamatory message posted under this article.

Please note that sending false messages to insult, defame, intimidate, mislead or deceive people or to intentionally cause public disorder is punishable under law. It is obligatory on Daijiworld to provide the IP address and other details of senders of such comments, to the authority concerned upon request.

Hence, sending offensive comments using daijiworld will be purely at your own risk, and in no way will Daijiworld.com be held responsible.