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Belonging: A Journey of Love 2026
Belonging: A Journey of Love is an English-language memoir written by Indian politician and parliamentarian Sonia Gandhi, published on 10 November 2026. The book traces approximately 60 years of Gandhi’s life, beginning with her early years in Veneto, Italy, and continuing through the political environment of modern India. It explores the personal and public challenges she faced as she rose to prominence, including significant events such as family tragedies, political controversies, and internal struggles within the Nehru–Gandhi dynasty. Critics have characterized the work as a deeply personal account that situates politics as a backdrop for individual experiences.
Sonia Gandhi first indicated her desire to write a memoir in 2014. Over the following decade, she worked extensively on Belonging: A Journey of Love, revising it multiple times. The Indian version was released by HarperCollins India, while the UK edition was handled by William Collins. The United States and global editions were published under Alfred A. Knopf. Initially, Gandhi had planned to publish with Penguin Random House India; however, that deal fell through after the publisher reportedly became uncomfortable with her critiques of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The publisher denied these allegations. Gandhi announced the book’s release on social media platforms on 22 October 2026.
The memoir explores a range of intimate, anecdotal, and contentious themes from Gandhi's life. It includes her introduction to and marriage with Rajiv, her move to India, adaptation to Indian culture and the Nehru–Gandhi legacy, her relationship with mother-in-law Indira, family conflicts, the Emergency period, the death of her brother-in-law Sanjay, Indira’s assassination, Rajiv's electoral win and subsequent murder in 1984, and her children Rahul and Priyanka’s upbringing. Additionally, it covers the rise of the BJP and RSS, Gandhi’s assumption of leadership in the Indian National Congress (INC), the party’s wins in 2004 and 2009, her decision to support Manmohan Singh as Prime Minister instead of herself, her battles with cancer, and criticism of the Modi government. The memoir incorporates numerous photographs from Gandhi's personal life.
Following its release, Belonging: A Journey of Love saw strong sales in major Indian cities including Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and others. It also led the Amazon India Biographies list. Reviews praised the book for its honest narrative and its ability to merge private recollections with political commentary. However, some noted a lack of deep examination into the INC’s shortcomings. BJP members argued that Gandhi had softened the portrayal of the Nehru–Gandhi family’s actions, whereas INC members supported the publication, emphasizing Gandhi’s right to share her experiences and viewpoints.
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- Publisher
- HarperCollins
