India, Dec. 23 -- Ali Asghar Shah has a problem. He loves to buy books, and he loves to read. But these days, he doesn't get enough time to read. Not only because he has a busy day-job as a senior marketing manager, but also because of that attention-hijacking device called mobile.

"I read a page or two of a book, and then I find myself turning to my phone to check a WhatsApp message, or watch a video on YouTube."

There was a time when Ali would read books on his bed till late into the night. He still lies awake on the bed till late into the night, but usually ends up watching movies on his mobile.

Even so, he continues to buy books, almost daily, he says.

This evening, Ali is with his mother in their central Delhi apartment. The livi...