Pune, Dec 13 (PTI) Noted Marathi author and Sahitya Akademi awardee Vishwas Patil on Saturday expressed concern over excessive use of smartphones, especially among children, and asserted that there was no alternative to books for acquiring true and lasting knowledge.

Speaking at the inauguration of the Pune Book Festival here, Patil said an average Indian spends nearly six hours a day on mobile phone, which weakens the reading habit and intellectual engagement.

"Books remain a person's lifelong companions. There is no substitute for books when it comes to obtaining true and the best form of knowledge," he said, adding that the joy of reading leads to a meaningful and fulfilling life.

Referring to corrective steps taken at the grassroots level, Patil said some gram panchayats in Maharash

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