Meghana HarikumarBengaluru: The fifth annual Green Literature Festival (GLF), held on November 29, 2025, in Bengaluru’s lush Cubbon Park, was a vibrant celebration of environmental writing and a powerful call to action. The event, supported by key organisations like WWF India, ATREE, and Azim Premji University, reaffirmed the literature festival’s unique mission to mainstream the dialogue around climate change, conservation, and sustainability through the powerful medium of books and conversations.
From deeply concerning ecological crises to the promise of green innovation, the one-day festival offered a diverse and insightful agenda, bringing together over 100 authors, academics, and thought leaders. This year’s event was a major step forward in mainstreaming environmental literature. The founders, led by Benedict Paramanand, who also founded the Bangalore Business Literature Festival, envisioned GLF as a necessary response to the urgent need for literature that helps us comprehend our relationship with the planet and promote positive climate action.
New Branches: Poetry and Business
New additions this year significantly expanded the scope of the event, making it one of the most comprehensive platforms for environmental discourse in the country.
The Green Poetry Open House
Marking its 5th year, the Green Literature Festival grew a new branch with the inaugural “Poetry Beneath the Trees: An Inaugural GLF Poetry Open House.” Curated by writer, poet, and nature photographer Priyanka Sacheti, this intimate, open-air setting explored how the language of art meets the voice of nature. The session aimed to bring poets, audiences, and the wilderness together, demonstrating how verse can be a profound source of ecological awareness and inspiration. This novel addition underscored the belief that emotional and creative expressions are vital components of the climate story.
The Green Business Literature Festival
Recognising the critical role of corporate action and sustainable economics, GLF launched the dedicated Green Business Literature Festival segment. This initiative explored the relevance of sustainability today, the role of new materials that could positively impact green transition, and the relevance of business literature in this space. Prominent sustainability thought leaders, including Santhosh Jayaram and Rajeev Peshawaria, joined pioneering scientist Babu Padmanabhan, who specializes in material science, to discuss topics crucial for transitioning to a greener economy.
Key Discussions Driving the Conservation Conversation
The literature festival’s strength lay in its ability to connect critical national environmental challenges with the creative and academic worlds. Three prominent sessions, in particular, stood out for their urgency and impact:
1. The Nicobar Crisis: A Critical Voice on the Edge
One of the most hard-hitting sessions of the day was the launch of Pankaj Sekhsaria’s latest book, Island on Edge – The Great Nicobar Crisis. Sekhsaria, an academic and author, presented a compelling case detailing the environmental and social risks of the massive infrastructure project proposed for the ecologically fragile Great Nicobar Island.
In his presentation, Pankaj Sekhsaria, alongside Distinguished Fellow Sharachchandra Lele, illuminated the multifaceted threats posed by the nearly ₹92,000 crore project, which aggressively pushes development in a tectonically volatile area. The discussion highlighted concerns ranging from irreversible ecological destruction—particularly to the island’s unique biodiversity and forests—to the profound violation of the rights and livelihoods of the two indigenous communities who call the island home. The session served as a stark reminder of the cost of development when sustainability and local rights are overlooked.
2. Cartoons as Conservation Communication
Bringing a lighter yet equally impactful perspective to conservation was Rohan Chakravarty, the celebrated cartoonist and author of The Green Humour Series. In his session, “Cartoons and Conservation Communication,” Chakravarty demonstrated how a simple cartoon can transcend its function as a satirical slap or a quick chuckle to become a powerful tool for public engagement and, potentially, policy influence.
Chakravarty articulated the cartoon’s role as the “most sharable commodity” in a publication. His work acts as a vital handshake between complex ecology, urgent conservation issues, and the lay reader. The interactive workshop, “Environmental Comics from Scratch,” later in the day, offered participants a hands-on experience, decoding the process of crafting a compelling and audience-finding environmental comic, proving that humor and art can be crucial allies in the fight for a greener planet.
3. Re-Imagining Greener Bengaluru
For local attendees, the session “Re-Imagining Greener Bengaluru” resonated deeply. Featuring best-selling children’s author Roopa Pai and science journalist Deepa Padmanaban, the conversation, hosted by naturalist Ramya Coushik, explored practical pathways for restoring the Garden City’s urban landscapes.
The discussion moved beyond general awareness, debating where the change begins: is it primary waste management, or the revival of native species? Roopa Pai, author of Becoming Bangalore – Stories That Shaped A Home Town, and Padmanaban underscored the crucial, multi-faceted role of the citizen and governing bodies in this transition. The session emphasized that a ‘Greener Bengaluru’ requires an integrated approach—one that combines civic responsibility with an understanding of the city’s natural heritage. This theme was further explored in a parallel, well-attended session where Pai discussed the importance of the city’s flora in “Trees of Bengaluru – Discussion and Quiz.”
Honouring Environmental Literary Excellence
The grand finale of the day was the much-anticipated GLF Green Honour Book Awards 2025. This one-of-a-kind award, curated with the help of eminent authors and leaders, celebrates the finest environmental writing emerging from India across three critical categories:
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Children: Recognising books that inspire young minds to connect with and care for the natural world.
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Adult Fiction/Non-fiction: Highlighting works that tackle complex environmental themes through engaging narratives and rigorous research.
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Green Business: Acknowledging literature focused on sustainable practices, eco-friendly economics, and corporate responsibility.
The recognition reinforces the importance of the environmental literature festival model. Chief Guest Nagaraja Prakasam, author of Back to Bharat: In Search of a Sustainable Future, presided over the ceremony, which not only highlighted the winners but also provided invaluable “Jury Insights” into the rigorous curation process. The awards are a concerted effort by the GLF, the leading green literature festival, to recognise and encourage young writers and thought leaders who are dedicating their craft to comprehending our planet, mending the broken bits, and promoting positive climate action through the written word.
The 5th Green Literature Festival was not just a gathering of readers and writers; it was a powerful demonstration of how this unique platform can be a dynamic, necessary force for driving climate literacy and action. The curated longlists and shortlists have been widely acclaimed for their originality, including everything from fiction and non-fiction to poetry and comics. The conversations, book launches, and workshops collectively reinforced the festival’s founding philosophy: that storytelling is the most effective tool to inspire love, care, and responsible stewardship for the earth.
Meghana Harikumar
Ranjani Govind
Editor
