India, July 24 -- There was a time before smartphones when I used to read one or even two books a week. Then the damned device charmed its way into my life and things have never been the same. Don't get me wrong - I don't hate it. I love it; that's the problem. From being a reader who could read two books a week, I am now down to being someone who struggles to read even one book in two months. Every time I open a book and, with the best of intentions, start reading, my phone conspires against me. There's some notification or other. Once I pick it up, it's game over. The temptation to just take a quick peek at mail or social media is too great. One quick look turns into an hour of scrolling. The time set aside for reading vanishes.

I am n...