Penguin India backs out of publishing Sonia Gandhi’s memoir

Penguin Random House India (PRHI) will reportedly not publish Congress leader Sonia Gandhi’s much-anticipated memoir Belonging: A Journey of Love in India after a disagreement over proposed editorial changes to the manuscript.

According to Indian Express, sources had said that the decision followed PRHI’s request for certain “editorial changes and deletions” in “a part of the manuscript”, which were rejected by Gandhi.

With Penguin India out of the picture, several publishers are reportedly in the race to publish and distribute the memoir in India. According to multiple reports, HarperCollins is said to be close to finalising an agreement, although no final deal has been officially announced.

The reported disagreement concerns the Indian publication of the memoir and does not indicate any change to its international release. Belonging: A Journey of Love is scheduled to be released on November 10, 2026, through Alfred A Knopf, a division of Penguin Random House. Knopf has announced an initial print run of 100,000 copies.

The memoir is expected to trace Gandhi’s journey from her childhood in post-war Italy to her move to India, her marriage to former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and her life with the Nehru-Gandhi family. It is also expected to recount major personal tragedies, including the deaths of Sanjay Gandhi, Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi, as well as her entry into public life.

The memoir is also expected to address Sonia’s decision not to become prime minister after the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance came to power following the 2004 Lok Sabha election.

In the publisher’s announcement, Sonia said, “Much has been written about my family, but few narratives were able to reach into the truth of their motivations, their actions and even their human failings…My story also offers readers a unique perspective of the social and political changes I have witnessed for six decades.” Knopf described the book as a memoir offering a personal account of love, family and India.

Rahul Gandhi also reacted to the forthcoming memoir, addressing his mother as “Mama” and recalling the years following Rajiv Gandhi’s assassination in 1991. He wrote, “Since the day Papa left, I have watched you face everything life threw at you with never-ending courage and dignity.” Rahul Gandhi said he was proud that Sonia Gandhi had chosen to share her story with millions of people who had followed and supported her. He also referred to the difficulty of writing publicly about a life she had largely kept private.

The latest development comes amid other recent publishing controversies involving Penguin Random House India. PRHI earlier this year said it had “not printed” former Army chief General M M Naravane’s memoir Four Stars of Destiny, after a hard copy was displayed by Rahul Gandhi in Parliament. Media reports had carried excerpts from the manuscript concerning the Galwan clashes and the Agnipath scheme.

In June, PRHI also pulled the plug on graphic novelist Joe Sacco’s book The Once and Future Riot, about the Muzaffarnagar riots. PRHI CEO Gaurav Shrinagesh had then said the publisher had raised “content issues” with the author during legal scrutiny, including concerns over a map showing inaccurate boundaries of India.

This report was republished from The News Minute as part of The News Minute-Newslaundry alliance. Read about our partnership here and become a subscriber here.