India, Dec. 14 -- Noted Marathi writer and Sahitya Akademi award recipient Vishwas Patil on Saturday voiced concern over the growing dependence on smartphones, particularly among children, and stressed that books remain indispensable for gaining deep and enduring knowledge.

Addressing the audience at the inauguration of the Pune Book Festival, Patil said an average Indian now spends close to six hours daily on mobile phones, describing it as an alarming pattern that erodes reading habits and reduces meaningful intellectual engagement. "Books are lifelong companions. When it comes to acquiring authentic and the best form of knowledge, there is no replacement for books," he said, adding that reading plays a vital role in leading a purposef...