Writers: Deepa should have been invited alongside Banu Mushtaq

Hubballi: Kannada literary world is divided over the state government’s decision to invite Banu Mushtaq, the International Booker Prize winner, to inaugurate the Mysuru Dasara.

Some writers feel that the government’s decision honours the contribution of Banu to Kannada literature over the decades.

However, others argue that the government would have avoided the controversy by extending the invitation to Deepa Bhasthi, whose translation of Banu’s short stories, Heart Lamp, brought the work international recognition.

They feel it would have also acknowledged the often-overlooked art of translation.

Kannada poet B R Lakshmana Rao says ideological issues aside, Banu should be welcomed to inaugurate the “Naada Habba” for ensuring that Kannada got international recognition through her work.

“By inviting her to inaugurate Dasara, Karnataka is honouring her for putting Kannada on the international map. However, it would have been better if the state government had invited Deepa too, whose translation won the recognition,” he said.

Among the women writers too there is a strong argument that Deepa too should have been invited to inaugurate the Dasara as they won the award together. Author and academician Veena Shanteshwar says Banu is surely a great writer. “But Deepa’s translation was equally important. So it is proper to invite both for the Dasara event,” she said.

“Banu gained recognition after the Booker prize. Banu could have asked Deepa to join her in inaugurating the event,” says another female author.

Author Vivek Shanbhag says Banu has been chosen to inaugurate the Dasara celebrations in recognition of her decades of contribution to Kannada literature, and not merely because of the Booker award.

“The Booker is one among her many achievements. Banu is a writer in her own right,” he says.