New Delhi, 5 June 2026: Penguin Random House India (PRH India) is marking World Environment Day 2026 with the publication of Ghosts on Peepal Trees: My Journey from Folktales to Forests by Swami Prem Parivartan, widely known as Peepal Baba. To coincide with the launch, the company is undertaking a tree plantation drive in Delhi NCR in association with Give Me Trees, the organization founded by him, which has grown into one of India’s largest community-based voluntary tree-planting and conservation movements.
Published by Ebury Press, an imprint of Penguin publishing popular fiction and non-fiction, Ghosts on Peepal Trees is the memoir of one of India’s most respected environmentalists, whose work with his team has led to the planting and preservation of over 26 million trees across India. The book traces his journey from childhood memories and inherited folklore to a lifelong commitment to forests, faith, ecology and community-led conservation. It is a reflective, deeply personal account of how stories, memory and simple acts of care can inspire long-term environmental stewardship.
Peepal Baba says, ‘We have overdrawn our ecological bank account for decades. Rising seas, burning forests and disappearing birds are the reminders. Planting trees is not charity to nature—it is repayment of a debt we owe.’
To coincide with the launch and World Environment Day, PRH India is undertaking a plantation drive to plant 100 trees at a forest location in Delhi NCR, with support from Peepal Baba and Give Me Trees. The initiative is part of the company’s continuing corporate responsibility and sustainability efforts and reflects the company’s broader commitment to supporting environmental awareness through both publishing and action.
Commenting on the launch and the support from Peepal Baba, Manoj Satti, SVP- Sales, Product and Marketing, Penguin Random House India, says, ‘We are proud to publish Ghosts on Peepal Trees and to partner with Peepal Baba and Give Me Trees on an initiative that reflects the spirit of this important book. Peepal Baba’s life and work remind us that environmental change is built through sustained, collective action, often beginning with something as simple and powerful as planting a tree. It is meaningful for us to help take his message to readers across the country, while also supporting his work on the ground through this plantation drive.’
As a paper-based business, PRH India recognises its responsibility to reduce its environmental footprint and give back meaningfully. The company has, over the years, undertaken plantation drives and sustainability-focused activities, and has also been working to make its publishing operations more responsible. This includes its stated commitment to print books on environment-friendly paper certified by the Forest Stewardship Council, with over 90% of its paper currently sourced from certified mills, and an ongoing transition towards 100% recycled paper for book production.
Adding to this, Aditi Kumar, EVP – People, Diversity and Corporate Responsibility, Penguin Random House India, says, ‘As a publishing house, we are deeply aware of our relationship with paper and the responsibility that comes with it. Our corporate responsibility initiatives are guided by the belief that sustainability must be reflected not only in the books we publish, but also in the choices we make as a business. This plantation drive is part of our continuing effort to give back to the environment in practical, measurable ways, while strengthening our long-term commitment to more responsible publishing.’
The publication of Ghosts on Peepal Trees forms part of Penguin Random House India’s growing publishing programme focused on climate, environment, sustainability and the natural world. Through these books, the company seeks to bring important conversations to readers while continuing to strengthen its own environmental commitments as a business.
About the book
Ghosts on Peepal Trees: My Journey from Folktales to Forests is the memoir of Swami Prem Parivartan, known to millions as Peepal Baba. Drawn from handwritten notes, memories and lived experiences, the book moves through his childhood in Dehradun and Pune, the influence of his grandmother and teacher, and his later travels across India. It reflects on how folklore, faith and everyday reverence for trees can become powerful lessons in conservation.
About the author
Swami Prem Parivartan (known to millions as Peepal Baba) is an environmentalist who along with his team has planted and preserved over 26 million trees in over 226 districts across twenty-one states in India. He started planting and preserving trees at the age of eleven. He founded Give Me Trees Trust, an NGO for ecological and habitat restoration in 2011. He reaches out to millions of followers through his social media platforms which has his talks on nature conservation.
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About Penguin Random House India
Penguin Random House India is the country’s leading trade publisher, publishing over 450 new titles every year and managing a diverse backlist of more than 3,500 books. Our publishing spans literary and commercial fiction, non-fiction, and children’s books — from politics, history, memoir, and business to health, self-help, cookery, and culture.
We are home to some of India’s and the world’s most celebrated voices — including winners of the Nobel Prize, Booker Prize, Jnanpith Award, and Sahitya Akademi Award. Several of our authors have also been honoured with the Bharat Ratna and Padma Vibhushan, reflecting the influence of their work in literature and public life.
Penguin Random House India also serves as the exclusive distribution partner for several major international and local publishers, bringing books to readers across India and the subcontinent.
About Give Me Trees Trust
Give Me Trees Trust is one of the largest community-led environmental organisations in India, dedicated to restoring the country’s natural landscapes. For over 48 years, it has led large-scale efforts in tree plantation and conservation across the country, with more than 25 million trees planted and protected through its initiatives. It was founded by Swami Prem Parivartan, known as Peepal Baba, whose lifelong dedication to protecting trees laid the foundation for this movement.
MEDIA CONTACT-
Pallavi Narayan | pnarayan@penguinrandomhouse.in | +91 97118 64445