Technology impacts reading habits of the young: Girish Karnad

Noted playwright, actor and poet Girish Karnad believes that technology has impacted the reading habits of youngsters and they are missing out on real pleasure of reading from hard bound books.

"Reading from hard bound books or paperbacks has sort ofdisappeared in the younger generation. They are always glued to tablets or IPads," Karnad said at the ongoing Jaipur Literature Festival.

The playwright whose plays written in Kananda have been translated in English and other languages said he strongly felt that young people are missing out on the real pleasure of reading.

"I must be careful in saying this because its common for people of my age to think that younger people are not having the fun we had in our times," he said.

Karnad, who has lent his voice for an audio book of former President of Indian A P J Abdul Kalam's autobiography "Wings of Fire" said a fascination for new technology is natural for the young but the appeal of printed books is evergreen.

"There are a few things that tablets or IPads lack that mybooks have. Firstly, in reading from electronic sources thereis no sustained reception. Second advantage a book gives is anopportunity to pause, stop, read back and refer to," he said.

"What happens in modern technology is that I see there are lot of links that take you further. They make you jump ahead rather than go back," Karnad said.

The 77-year-old whose documentaries and films have won many awards acknowledged that his viewpoint could be influenced by his lack of understanding of new technologies.

"I might be saying such things probably because I am notunderstanding the whole situation. All thanks to my son who does not allow me to use Facebook and Twitter saying I will get addicted to them!," Karnad said.