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Sonia Gandhi’s much-anticipated memoir has run into a publishing hurdle in India, with Penguin Random House India (PRHI) out of the race to publish and distribute the book. Several Indian publishers are now competing for the rights, while HarperCollins is reportedly close to finalising a deal. The key question surrounding the development is what changes or deletions PRHI had sought in Sonia Gandhi’s manuscript, but neither the publisher nor Gandhi’s agent has publicly disclosed the details.

Reportedly, the book is scheduled for release on November 10 and was first announced by US-based Alfred A. Knopf, a Penguin Random House division. Knopf said the first print run would be 100,000 copies. As per The Indian Express, questions were sent to Knopf and Gandhi’s agent David Godwin, but they were unavailable for comment. PRHI CEO Gaurav Shrinagesh was also asked about the requested “changes/deletions” but was unavailable for comment.

Sonia Gandhi memoir faces publishing change after Penguin India exits

The memoir has been described by people who worked on it as Sonia Gandhi’s most personal and definitive account of her life. Knopf called it a “riveting memoir by one of the world’s most prominent women leaders that tells a richly engaging story of love, family, and an endlessly fascinating country: India.”

As per reports, Sonia Gandhi herself said: “Much has been written about my family, but few narratives were able to reach into the truth of their motivations, their actions and even their human failings…My story also offers readers a unique perspective of the social and political changes I have witnessed for six decades.”

Sonia Gandhi book comes amid Penguin India’s recent publishing controversies

The uncertainty comes after PRHI faced questions over two other high-profile books. Reportedly, earlier this year, the publisher said it had “not printed” former Army chief General M M Naravane’s memoir Four Stars of Destiny, although Rahul Gandhi later displayed a hard copy in Parliament. Media reports had carried excerpts from the memoir, including Naravane’s account of the Galwan clashes and the Agnipath scheme.

In June, The Indian Express reported that PRHI had pulled the plug on acclaimed graphic novelist Joe Sacco’s The Once and Future Riot, about the Muzaffarnagar riots. Shrinagesh said the publisher had raised “some content issues” with Sacco during legal scrutiny, including an inaccurate map showing India’s boundaries.

Sonia Gandhi memoir now draws interest from rival Indian publishers

Sonia Gandhi has previously authored and edited books, but this memoir is being positioned as her most definitive personal account. With PRHI no longer in the fray, other Indian publishers are now seeking the rights, with HarperCollins reportedly nearing an agreement.

For now, the exact “changes/deletions” sought in the manuscript remain undisclosed, leaving the reasons behind PRHI’s exit unclear. The November 10 release, however, remains the planned publication date announced by Knopf.

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