Sonia Gandhi to tell all in memoir of her life
New Delhi: Congress leader Sonia Gandhi's memoir, titled "Belonging: A Journey of Love," is set to be released in November. The book will provide an intimate look into her life, from her childhood in post-war Italy to her marriage into India's influential political family. The memoir, written by Sonia Gandhi, 79, touches upon her experiences as she transitions from a private life to the public realm of politics.
Published by Alfred A Knopf, an American imprint of Penguin Random House, the book has not yet received confirmation from Penguin Random House India regarding its release date in the country. The memoir opens in Cambridge, England, where in 1965, Sonia Maino, then 19, meets and falls in love with Rajiv Gandhi.
Sonia Gandhi, who has been known for guarding her privacy, narrates her life journey, including her childhood in Italy, her love story, her move to India, her losses, and the challenges she faced. The book also covers her decision not to become the prime minister after the 2004 elections and her choice of Manmohan Singh.
She writes about her introduction to her formidable mother-in-law, Indira Gandhi, learning Hindi, wearing saris, and enjoying Indian cuisine. Sonia's early years as Rajiv Gandhi's wife and mother of two are marked by witnessing the death of her brother-in-law, Sanjay Gandhi, a plane crash, and her mother's assassination.
Despite her fears, Rajiv steps into the role of prime minister. The tragedy of Rajiv Gandhi's assassination seven years later, orchestrated by a suicide bomber, deeply impacts Sonia. Upon his death, although she initially resisted the political pressure, she eventually became the longest-serving president of the Congress from 1998-2022.
The book aims to offer an insider's perspective on India's social and political changes over 60 years. Sonia says that writing about her life meant opening herself up, sharing moments and experiences she had always held deep inside. The memoir is described as a homage to the human nature of her family.
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