Every April 23rd, my inbox explodes. “Happy World Book Day, Sir!” Some messages come with quotes, others with memes, and a few with innocent questions like, “Do people even read books anymore?” That one always makes me smile.
Because if books are dead, then I’ve been living in a ghost town for 30 years—and enjoying every minute of it.
I’ve treated over two lakh patients, but long before the diagnosis and the prescription came, something just as crucial: reading, not for leisure alone, but as a tool, a torch, and a teacher. From 1999 to 2019, I served as Editor-in-Chief of Ayurvedline—an ambitious, 700-page annual desk reference that became a lifeline for Ayurvedic practitioners. It was the first of its kind, meticulously compiling medicines, formulations, ingredients, indications, dosages, manufacturers, prices, research updates, case studies, and even the evolving currents of Ayurvedic discourse. I co-created it with my dear friend Dr. Seetharama Prasad, and together we didn’t just publish a book—we built a bridge between tradition and modern practice. We carried it to over 100 cities, placed it in 600 bookstores, and the process reached the shelves—and minds—of thousands of doctors, professors, interns, and curious seekers across India. In Ayurvedic circles, it wasn’t just a publication—it was prabhava in print, shaping how we thought, prescribed, and practised.
Yes, I know a thing or two about the life of books. And let me say this: They are not dead. They’ve just migrated.
Reading in the Age of Scrolling
People now read on mobiles, tablets, laptops, and even smartwatches. But let’s be honest—much of what we call “reading” today is skimming, sampling, and scrolling. A patient recently told me he finished Atomic Habits in a weekend. Impressive, I thought. Until he added, “Well, I watched the YouTube summary.”
That’s like smelling biryani and saying you’re full.
We live in the age of acceleration—2x playback, 10-second summaries, tweets as takeaways. But the mind doesn’t mature at that speed. Reading is not consumption. It’s digestion. And digestion, as any Vaidya will tell you, takes time.
Studies have shown that physical books can enhance memory retention. When you read a printed book, your brain creates spatial memory. You remember where something appeared on a page. Digital reading? It’s like drinking from a moving pipe—plenty of information, but hard to hold onto.
What I See in My Practice
Patients who read regularly tend to describe their symptoms with more clarity. They’re better historians. They’re more reflective. One gentleman told me, “Doctor, I feel like my fatigue is emotional, not just physical. I read something similar in a book on burnout.” That moment made my consultation easier and more effective.
Another example: A schoolteacher recovering from long COVID read a novel each week during her recovery. She said it gave her a sense of rhythm, as if she were rejoining the world in slow, steady steps. “The stories made me feel alive,” she said.
Books do that. They don’t just inform; they transform.
Millennials, Gen Z, and the Myth of Booklessness
People often say that the younger generation doesn’t read. That’s not entirely true. They just read differently. They mark up PDFs on iPads, listen to audiobooks while jogging, and share quotes on Instagram with vintage fonts.
I once had a 22-year-old boy who told me, “Sir, I read Siddhartha on my Kindle and highlighted almost every line.” He then proceeded to quiz me on it. I failed gloriously.
Books are evolving, not disappearing. Book cafes are full. Independent publishers are thriving. There’s even a return to handwritten journals and gratitude diaries—paper, ink, intention. Maybe, in a world drowning in data, this is our way of coming up for air.
The Steadying Power of Reading
I’ve found that reading cultivates a kind of inner steadiness in people. It’s like a mental immune booster. It teaches patience, empathy, and even humility. The more you read, the more you realise how much you don’t know. A good book doesn’t shout; it sits with you, nudges you, and occasionally slaps you awake.
Reading is a bit like Ayurveda itself— deep, foundational. Not flashy. Not viral. But life-changing over time.
A Small Reading Prescription
Let me try something unusual—a prescription not for your liver or your joints, but for your mind.
Dosage: 20 pages daily
Timing: Before sleep or during your morning coffee
Duration: Life
Side effects: Improved mood, sharper thinking, unexpected empathy
Start with something that speaks to you, not something everyone is raving about. For health, try When Breath Becomes Air. For joy, try Ruskin Bond. For clarity, read anything by Pico Iyer. For perspective, try Man’s Search for Meaning.
Or revisit a book you once loved. Rereading is like meeting an old friend—you see how they’ve changed, and how you have too.
Is Reading Beneficial for the Brain?
Yes. But more than that, it’s beneficial for your being. It strengthens attention, nurtures imagination, and gently expands your world—a person who reads lives not just longer, but deeper.
While technology will evolve—screens will fold, scrolls will disappear, and books might float in the cloud—I believe the quiet, curious act of reading will endure. Because it’s not about format, it’s about formation. Books don’t just share facts; they shape who we are.
Happy World Book Day. And if you haven’t already today, pick up a book. Not for productivity. Not for status. Just for the sheer, simple joy of turning a page.
In a world that scrolls, the one who reads always leads.
