'Wanted to portray my family honestly': Sonia Gandhi explains reason behind writing her memoir

Published by HarperCollins India, Sonia Gandhi's memoir will be released in India on November 10.

Sonia Gandhi, Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson, has revealed the driving force behind writing her upcoming memoir, Belonging: A Journey of Love, emphasising that she wanted to offer an honest account of her family.

Writing in The Hindu ahead of the release of her book, Gandhi said that it is not a political book but a personal one. She said that she had largely kept her personal thoughts private throughout her life. Even when grief drew her into politics, she tried to preserve her privacy and found the idea of openly sharing her life difficult.

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"Only after stepping back from the daily churn of public life could I see my own story clearly," Gandhi said.

Looking back, she said love and the loyalty that comes from it had been the defining themes of her life.

"It all began in England, where a 19-year-old woman from a small Italian town met a young Indian student. It carried me into a new country and a new family, into a deep bond with my mother-in-law, and through the years of raising our children," she wrote.

She added that love also helped her endure personal tragedies, including the deaths of her mother-in-law and husband.

"It also carried me through the unbearable, when I lost first my mother-in-law and then my husband to violence," she added.

Gandhi said what remained to sustain her was her love for her husband and for India, the country where she felt she truly belonged.

"It also came with a sense of duty strong enough to lead her into public life, against every instinct I had," Gandhi said.

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Not a political book but a personal one: Sonia Gandhi

Describing the book as a personal rather than political account, Gandhi noted that she wanted to offer an honest portrayal of her family, as the people she knew and loved.

"This is not a political book. It is a personal one. Much has been written about my family, but rarely with real insight into who they were, their motivations, their struggles, their very human flaws. I wanted to portray them honestly, as people I knew and loved," the former Congress president said.

She further asserted that the book is her account of the place she came to call home.

"I also hoped to share what I witnessed over more than five decades in India. I watched a country transform, at first from the margins and later from its very centre," she said.

"This book is my account of that journey, and of the place I came to call home," Gandhi said.

Published by HarperCollins India, Gandhi's memoir will be released in India on November 10.

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The memoir covers some of the major tragic moments in the Gandhi family, including Sanjay Gandhi's death in a plane crash, the assassination of Indira Gandhi in 1984 and Rajiv Gandhi in 1991.

Anushka Awasthi is a Content Producer at Hindustan Times, where she covers politics, geopolitics, and major national and international developments. She holds both a Bachelor's and a Master's degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University (GGSIPU), New Delhi. Passionate about India's political landscape, Anushka believes that politics shapes every aspect of society, from public policy to everyday life. This drives her to deliver timely, accurate, and researched news that helps readers make sense of everyday developments. Before joining Hindustan Times, Anushka worked with the Zee News English website, reporting extensively on Indian politics and international affairs. During her tenure, she also wrote a range of interviews and analytical stories, focusing on key political and international affairs events. Her reporting is driven by a strong interest in journalism and a dedication to balanced reporting. She strives to present news with clarity and context in the digital era. She aims to ensure that readers stay informed about issues that matter. Outside the newsroom, she enjoys planning her next travel adventure to various corners of India, reading classical books, and binging sitcoms. A coffee enthusiast, she is always on the lookout for new places and experiences.Read More