Former Congress President Sonia Gandhi has made her official debut on Instagram, offering the public a first glimpse of her highly anticipated memoir, titled Belonging: A Journey of Love. The 544-page book, a deeply personal account of her life, is scheduled for a global release on November 10, 2026.
Gandhi introduced herself on the social media platform via the account @soniagandhi, sharing a heartfelt message with her inaugural post. "Hello everyone, I’m truly grateful to share this moment with you all; the first look of Belonging: A Journey of Love," she wrote. "It is a story of love, duty, loss and finding a place to belong. I look forward to sharing it with you."
A Personal Narrative from Italy to India
Belonging: A Journey of Love chronicles Gandhi's extraordinary journey, beginning in Cambridge, England, in 1965. Then 19-year-old Sonia Maino met Rajiv Gandhi, leading to their marriage in 1968 and her subsequent relocation to India, where she embraced a new life within the prominent Nehru-Gandhi family.
The memoir delves into her adaptation to Indian culture and her relationship with her mother-in-law, former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. It also revisits the profound personal tragedies that have shaped her life, including the deaths of Sanjay Gandhi in 1980, Indira Gandhi in 1984, and Rajiv Gandhi in 1991.
In an earlier statement released by publisher Alfred A. Knopf, Gandhi reflected on her unexpected entry into public life. "It was heartbreak and loss that threw me into the public world of politics. Up till then I had guarded my privacy fiercely," she stated, promising a narrative that explores the motivations, actions, and human failings of her family members.
Publishing Journey and Global Release
Globally, Belonging: A Journey of Love will be published by Alfred A. Knopf. Its release in India, however, saw a notable development. HarperCollins India secured the rights for the Indian edition after an earlier agreement with Penguin Random House India faced an impasse. Reports suggested the disagreement stemmed from proposed editorial changes to the manuscript that were not accepted by Gandhi's representatives.
Despite the initial setback, HarperCollins India confirmed the November 10, 2026, release date, aligning it with the international publication. The book promises an insider's perspective on India's political and social evolution over the past six decades, woven into a deeply personal story of love, family, and identity.