Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi has said there is bound to be some “tamasha” when her memoir comes out next month — and that after decades of others telling her story, now it is her turn.
In her second post on X since joining the social media platform last week, Gandhi shared a 1.28-minute preview video of her upcoming memoir, “Belonging: A Journey of Love”, on Tuesday, October 27, 2026. The book releases on November 10, HarperCollins India has said.
“There’s bound to be some tamasha when this book comes out. After all, others have spent decades telling my ‘story’, now it’s my turn,” she wrote in the caption accompanying the video.
Key Takeaways
- Sonia Gandhi says her memoir “Belonging: A Journey of Love” releases on November 10.
- She says much of what has been written about her was invented or exaggerated, and she wants to describe events as they were.
- The book traces her life from childhood in post-war Italy to her years at the centre of Indian politics.
Why she decided to write it
In the video, Gandhi is seen leafing through the pages of the memoir, wondering aloud: “I don’t know if I should tell the whole story.” She recalled that when her husband was asked to become the prime minister, she was totally against it — and then trailed off.
Gandhi said a lot had been written about her over the years, and much of it was not quite correct. It was either invented or exaggerated, she said, and that gave her the feeling of being able to now put down her story and describe facts and things as they were — her story, not merely a version of events.
“There’s bound to be some tamasha when this book comes out. After all, others have spent decades telling my ‘story’, now it’s my turn.”
She acknowledged that the book could change how some readers see her. Some people’s views may change, she said, and some people’s views may become worse — but that is what it is, that is what happens when you write a book, or when you are in public life.
What the memoir covers
The memoir traces Gandhi’s childhood in post-war Italy, in the Veneto region, and her journey to Cambridge, where in 1965 she met Rajiv Gandhi. They married on February 25, 1968.
It recounts her introduction to India — learning Hindi, wearing saris and adjusting to Indian food and culture — and her introduction to her mother-in-law, former prime minister Indira Gandhi.
It also covers the tragedies that transformed the Gandhi family, including the death of Sanjay Gandhi in a plane crash, Indira Gandhi’s assassination in 1984 and Rajiv Gandhi’s assassination in 1991.
The book further delves into the political events surrounding the Congress-led alliance’s victory in the 2004 elections, when Gandhi declined to become prime minister and instead led the party and its alliance, which governed India for a decade.
- Childhood in post-war Italy and meeting Rajiv Gandhi at Cambridge in 1965
- Marriage in 1968 and adjusting to life in India
- The assassinations of Indira Gandhi in 1984 and Rajiv Gandhi in 1991
- The 2004 election victory and her decision not to become prime minister
A debut on social media
The memoir preview was only her second post on X since she joined the platform last week. In her debut post on Saturday, she described her late husband and former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi as a very good-looking and gentle person, sharing her memories of their life together as she made her debut on social media.
Gandhi, 79, is the Congress party’s longest-serving president, and the memoir is her attempt to set the record straight about a life lived largely in public view.
The political backdrop
The preview landed in a politically charged week in India, with the BJP launching nationwide protests over a remark about Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s late father.
Her son Rahul Gandhi was recently acquitted in a 2018 defamation case in Sultanpur, another reminder of how closely the family’s public and legal lives are followed.
The memoir preview also arrived on a busy day in the capital, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated a science, technology and innovation conclave.
What to Watch Next
The book releases on November 10, when readers will judge for themselves whether Gandhi’s own account changes how her story is told. The preview video has already set the tone: she expects a reaction, and she has said she is ready for it. What remains is the book itself — and the response it draws once it is in readers’ hands.