Penguin Random House India has reportedly decided not to publish Congress leader Sonia Gandhi’s much-anticipated memoir Belonging: A Journey of Love in India, following a disagreement over proposed editorial changes to the manuscript.
According to a report by The Indian Express, the dispute centred on “editorial changes and deletions” sought by the publisher in a section of the book. Sonia Gandhi reportedly did not agree to the proposed changes.
The memoir is still scheduled for international release on November 10 through Alfred A Knopf, an imprint of Penguin Random House. Knopf had earlier announced an initial print run of 1 lakh copies.
With Penguin India reportedly no longer handling the Indian edition, other publishers are said to have shown interest in the book. HarperCollins is reportedly close to finalising an agreement to publish and distribute the memoir in India.
What is Sonia Gandhi’s memoir about?
Belonging: A Journey of Love is expected to offer a deeply personal account of Sonia Gandhi’s life, beginning with her childhood in post-war Italy and her eventual move to India.
The book is expected to recount her marriage to former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi and her experiences within the Nehru-Gandhi family. It is also likely to discuss some of the major personal tragedies she experienced, including the deaths of Sanjay Gandhi, Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi.
The memoir is also expected to cover Sonia Gandhi’s entry into public life and her years at the centre of one of India’s most influential political families.
Another significant subject is her decision not to become prime minister after the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance came to power following the 2004 Lok Sabha election.
In the publisher’s earlier announcement, Sonia Gandhi described the memoir as an opportunity to offer readers a perspective on the motivations, actions and human failings of her family, as well as the social and political changes she witnessed over six decades.
She also acknowledged that writing the book meant stepping beyond the privacy she had maintained for much of her life.
Rahul Gandhi on his mother’s memoir
The development comes shortly after Rahul Gandhi spoke about the memoir while paying tribute to his father Rajiv Gandhi on his 82nd birth anniversary.
In a post on X, Rahul addressed his mother as “Mama” and reflected on the years following Rajiv Gandhi’s assassination in 1991.
He said he had watched Sonia Gandhi face the challenges of life with courage and dignity and said he was proud that she had chosen to share her story with millions of people.
Rahul also acknowledged how difficult it must have been for someone as private as his mother to write such a personal account.
Penguin India has faced another memoir controversy
The reported dispute over Sonia Gandhi’s memoir follows another high-profile publishing controversy involving Penguin India earlier this year.
The publisher said it had “not printed” former Army chief General M M Naravane’s memoir Four Stars of Destiny, after Rahul Gandhi displayed a copy of the book in Parliament.
Media reports had previously published excerpts from the manuscript, including material relating to the Galwan clashes and the Agnipath military recruitment scheme.
The latest development involving Belonging could therefore add another closely watched publishing dispute to Penguin India’s recent history.
For now, the memoir remains scheduled for its international release in November, while the identity of its eventual Indian publisher is reportedly being finalised.
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