HarperCollins to publish Sonia's memoir 'Belonging'

HarperCollins India on Friday announced that it will publish Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) Chairperson Sonia Gandhi's memoir titled 'Belonging: A Journey of Love' on November 10, 2026.

This comes days after raging controversy over publication of the book, earlier by Penguin India, which backed out over alleged differences and disagreements.

In a post on X, HarperCollins India said that it will publish 'Belonging: A Journey of Love' by Sonia Gandhi.

"The long-awaited memoir will be published in India on 10 November 2026," it said.

The publishing house added, "One of the most anticipated political memoirs of our time, Belonging is a dramatic and deeply personal story of love, identity, duty and belonging, and offers a rare insider's view of India’s journey."

Earlier, reports surfaced that Penguin India refused to publish the memoir of senior Congress leader over alleged disagreement over editorial changes, which were later refuted by the publishing house.

In a statement, Penguin Random House India had said that it “is not the publisher of 'Belonging' in India. "Any suggestion that Penguin Random House India decided not to publish 'Belonging' because the author declined editorial changes does not accurately reflect the circumstances," it said.

“As a publisher, it is both our prerogative and our responsibility to fact-check and provide authors with recommendations that are in the best interests of their books. This is a normal part of the publishing process. Throughout the relevant discussions, Penguin Random House India's position was that we remained willing and keen to publish the book,” it added.

“We will not comment further on confidential discussions with the author,” said the publisher.

Meanwhile, the brief about the book on Amazon says: “A surprising, richly told memoir that seamlessly weaves the personal with the political to tell a riveting story: of love, of family, and of an endlessly fascinating country, India.”

“How did a girl from a small village in Italy rise as a politician in India and become known around the world? Belonging begins in Cambridge, England, where in 1965 Sonia Maino, a nineteen-year-old student, falls in love at first sight with the handsome, dark-eyed young man she’s destined to marry: Rajiv Gandhi, grandson of Jawaharlal Nehru, independent India’s first Prime Minister,” it said.