Why Reticent Sonia Gandhi Chose To Speak About ‘Belonging’ Now: The Message Behind The Memoir

News india Why Reticent Sonia Gandhi Chose To Speak About ‘Belonging’ Now: The Message Behind The MemoirLast Updated:August 19, 2026, 19:02 IST‘Belonging: A Journey of Love’ is Sonia Gandhi's way of making it clear to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and her opponents that she very much belongs to IndiaRapid ReadRapid ReadSummarized by AI.+Sonia Gandhi's memoir 'Belonging' addresses "outsider" tag.Book asserts her belonging to India after 6 decades.Memoir details her life, adjustments, and politics in India.Got Question about the News?Sources say that it was not an easy call for the reticent and intensely private Sonia Gandhi to write a memoir. The title of Sonia Gandhi’s upcoming book captures a political message she wants to convey after over six decades.‘Belonging: A Journey of Love’ is her way of making it clear to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and her opponents that she very much belongs to India.Recommended StoriesWriting About My Life Did Not Come Easily To Me: Sonia Gandhi On Upcoming Memoir‘Belonging’: Sonia Gandhi’s Memoir On Love, Loss And Politics To Hit Stands In November'Can See Papa Looking Down Proudly': Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Share Emotional Note For Sonia's Memoir‘Chhatro Ki Goonj’ In 800 Cities, Ram Temple ‘Chanda Chori’ Protest: Key Decisions From CWC MeetThat’s because when she came to India for the first time in 1965, before she made India her home where she got married, had children, and did her politics, she was seen only as an outsider, an Italian who did not know what India was all about.As she struggled and won the fight for survival and adjustment, she finally captured this and ended up belonging to India. More importantly, the book hopes to find a closure to the “outsider" or “videshi" tag attached to her, which at times was seen as a liability for her party.Sources say that it was not an easy call for the reticent and intensely private Sonia Gandhi to write a memoir. Her children, Priyanka Vadra and Rahul Gandhi, goaded her to go ahead and pen her thoughts to bring a closure to the campaign against her. In fact, the memoir has been in the making for over two years and been drawn from a diary she would maintain.The book, sources say, does not seek to embarrass anyone but will explain the trauma she had to go through in adjusting to a life which was high profile, and a tough one which required her to live with a PM. More importantly, how she coped with meeting new people, who were remote from her personality and language and culture.The toughest adjustment for her was with food, and this is explained in her book too. How she took a while to consume dhania patta (coriander leaves) and green chillies, but has now grown to love it. How she learnt to make gajar ka halwa, which was the favourite of Rajiv Gandhi and others in the family. She also learnt how to cook multiple cuisines like Kashmiri food from Indira Gandhi’s relatives from Kashmir.Sources say the memoir also mentions how she finally decided to take the political plunge and her stitching up the alliance to form the UPA came as she was discussing over dinner one day as to how she and her party colleagues faced bad times.Interestingly, the announcement of the memoir came on a day when there has been much outrage and controversy over Sonia Gandhi’s objection to singing the Vande Mataram in full, at a party event on August 15.News18 NewsletterHandpicked stories, in your inboxA newsletter with the best of our journalismQuick AnswersPowered byAsk News18Sonia Gandhi's memoir, "Belonging: A Journey of Love," will trace her life from her childhood in Italy to her life in India, where she became part of a prominent political family. The book will cover her marriage to Rajiv Gandhi, the assassinations of Indira and Rajiv Gandhi, and her decision to decline the prime minister's post in 2004. It will also include personal anecdotes and reflections on defining moments of her life.Powered byAsk News18About the AuthorPallavi GhoshPallavi Ghosh has covered politics and Parliament for 15 years, and has reported extensively on Congress, UPA-I and UPA-II, and has now included the Finance Ministry and Niti Aayog in her reportage. S...Read MoreLocation : First Published:August 19, 2026, 18:52 ISTDisclaimer: Comments reflect users’ views, not News18’s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.Loading comments...Read More