Sonia Gandhi to release memoir 'Belonging: A Journey of Love'

Author describes book as personal account

She stated that the book is a personal account written to portray her family members honestly as people she knew and loved.

Gandhi explicitly stated, "This is not a political book, it’s a personal one". She explained that the writing focuses on her family's motivations, struggles, and human flaws.

Memoir covers family history and political milestones

It also details her meeting her husband in England as a 19-year-old, her bond with her mother-in-law, and the experience of raising her children.

The book discusses political events such as the Emergency, Indira Gandhi's "regret," and the Congress-led alliance's 2004 election victory. It also includes Gandhi's decision to decline the prime minister position following the 2004 election.

She also reflected on her relationship with India and family experiences kept private for decades.

Gandhi reflects on writing process and social media debut

Gandhi made her Instagram debut on November 5, 2026. In that post, she described the book as "a story of love, duty, loss and finding a place to belong". On November 8, 2026, she shared a video regarding the upcoming release of her memoir on Instagram.

On the platform, she shared memories of her late husband, Rajiv Gandhi, describing him as "a very good-looking and gentle person".

BJP criticizes memoir as political rhetoric

The Bharatiya Janata Party has criticized the memoir, claiming it contains political rhetoric rather than genuine personal reflection. In an interview with The Hindu, Sonia Gandhi accused the Narendra Modi government of damaging democratic institutions, controlling mainstream media, and using religion for political gain.

BJP leaders responded by accusing her of attempting to justify the rule of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. Some BJP leaders further accused Gandhi of using the memoir to present Indira Gandhi as a victim and to whitewash the period of the Emergency.

Senior BJP leader Tarun Chugh told Gandhi to "remove her Italian lenses".

BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi described the memoir as "a bundle of dishonesty with more political rhetoric". He questioned whether the work was a genuine memoir or political fiction. The BJP has also alleged that the memoir is intended to strengthen the political prospects of Rahul Gandhi rather than provide an objective personal account.

Publishing history and global distribution

The memoir is published by Alfred A. Knopf for the global market. Knopf for the global market and by HarperCollins India for the domestic market.

HarperCollins India is publishing the Indian edition following this resolution.

Portraying family with human flaws

Sonia Gandhi stated that she wrote the book to provide an honest and intimate portrait of her family, including their motivations and struggles. She wanted to honestly portray her family members as people she knew and loved, including their human flaws.