Booker Winner Banu Mushtaq Speaks Out Against Harassment at Jaipur Literature Festival
International Booker Prize winner Banu Mushtaq has opened up about the severe harassment and violence she faced for standing against patriarchy and communalism. The Kannada writer, activist, and lawyer from Karnataka shared her experiences during a keynote address at the Jaipur Literature Festival 2026.
Years of Targeting for Defying Norms
Mushtaq told a packed audience that she and her family were often targeted for challenging deep-rooted social structures. "A woman is expected to be silent, obedient, and peaceful," she stated firmly. "But I am not that type. I challenged everything. I challenged patriarchy, I challenged caste hierarchy, I challenged power."
She recounted a particularly frightening incident where an attacker came at her with a long knife. Somehow, she escaped at the last minute, and authorities registered an attempted murder case. This event highlighted the real dangers she confronted in her activism.
Backlash Over Mysuru Dasara Festival Invitation
The writer faced intense backlash in October after the Karnataka state government invited her to inaugurate the Mysuru Dasara festival celebrations. Protest groups opposed a Muslim woman leading what they called a Hindu celebration.
"They trolled me continuously for one and a half months," Mushtaq revealed. People even barged into her home, demanding she withdraw. The state government then assigned her a security detail, which remains with her today.
Protesters took the matter to the state High Court and the Supreme Court, but both courts dismissed their petitions. Mushtaq inaugurated the festival under heavy security, describing it as a fight against "unseen people and unseen power" that caused significant mental harassment.
Heart Lamp and Literary Journey
Mushtaq won the 2025 International Booker Prize for her book Heart Lamp, a collection of short stories capturing the everyday lives of Muslim women in southern Karnataka. Some stories draw glimpses from her own life experiences.
Her political consciousness developed during protest movements in Karnataka in the 1970s. "I was walking along with them in the street and shouting slogans," she recalled. "Even facing lathi charge from the administration and getting arrested."
When asked about retaining many Kannada and Dakhani words without footnotes in the English translation, she explained that translator Deepa Bhasthi aimed to give the work a "different colour, different reflections." They deliberately did not want to globalise Heart Lamp, preferring to keep it authentic to its origins.
Opening the Festival Discussions
Mushtaq's keynote address launched five days of discussions at the Jaipur Literature Festival, which runs from January 15 to 19. Her powerful testimony set the tone for exploring critical social issues through literature and dialogue.
