HarperCollins India to publish Sonia Gandhi’s memoir ‘Belonging,’ after Penguin row
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, HarperCollins India said in a post on social media on 4 September.
It's official: HarperCollins India will publish ‘Belonging: A Journey of Love by Sonia Gandhi,’ the publisher announced on Friday. The memoir of veteran Congress leader will now be released in India on 10 November 2026, the publisher said.
The book met roadblocks when the author was in talks with Penguin India for its publication, according to earlier reports published first by Indian Express.
“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,” HarperCollins India said in a post on social media on 4 September.
HarperCollins India is an active book publisher and a wholly-owned subsidiary of HarperCollins Publishers UK. It publishes around 200 to 250 new books every year across various literary and educational genres.
In a earlier ‘cover', Alfred A. Knopf announced November 10, 2026, as the release date of the "riveting memoir by one of the world’s most prominent women leaders", Sonia Gandhi.
US-based Knopf had emphasised that the book tells a “richly engaging story of love, family, and an endlessly fascinating country: India.”
What went wrong?
The Indian Express reported in an exlusive story that Sonia Gandhi's memoir may no longer be published by Penguin India. The report had quoted unname dsoyces telling that the Penguin Random House India backed out due to certain “editorial changes and deletions” that it wanted in “a part of the manuscript”, which was turned down by the author.
Penguin Random House statement
Penguin Random House India issued a statement following the Indian Express export. In a statement, the spokesperson at Penguin Random House India said it's not the publisher of 'Belonging: A Journey of Love', Sonia Gandhi's upcoming memoir, in India.
"Penguin Random House India 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," the company had said.
Congress had slammed the publisher
Several Congress leaders lashed out at Penguin Random House India over the controversy, accusing it of refusing to publish Sonia Gandhi's memoir in India.
Some senior Congress leaders claimed the pressure was put on the publishing house to remove portions related to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), and "the occupation of Indian territory by China during Modi's rule".
The RSS is the ideological fountainhead of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the party in power at the Centre since 2014. The Congress leaders also said the publisher's "refusal" to publish the autobiography is a "murder of freedom of expression" and a matter of grave concern.
Senior Congress leader and former Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot was among the first to react.
Murder of freedom of expression
“Penguin Worldwide is ready to publish Smt. Sonia Gandhi ji's upcoming book worldwide in its original form, but Penguin Random House India wants changes made to launch it in India. After all, what is the reason or what pressure is there that what is being published across the world cannot be published in India?” Gehlot asked.
Sonia Gandhi's life is an example of sacrifice and dedication, and the integrity and dignity with which she has served the country are exemplary, he said.
"Suppressing the book of Smt. Sonia Gandhi ji, a person of such stature, a senior leader of the nation, and former Leader of the Opposition, under pressure is tantamount to the murder of freedom of expression," Gehlot said.
(With agency inputs)
About the Author
Gulam Jeelani is Political Desk Editor at LiveMint with over 16 years of experience covering national and international politics. Based in New Delhi, Jeelani delivers impactful political narratives through breaking stories, in-depth interviews, and analytical pieces at LiveMint since February 2024. The expertise in video production fuels his current responsibilities, which include curating content and conducting video interviews for an expanding digital audience.<br><br> Jeelani also travels during elections and key political events and has covered assembly elections in key states apart from national elections. He has previously worked with The Pioneer, Network18, India Today, News9Plus and Hindustan Times.<br><br> Jeelani’s tenure at LiveMint and previous experience at print and digital newsrooms have honed his skills in creating compelling text and video stories, explainers, and analysis that resonate with a diverse viewership.<br><br> Before moving to New Delhi in 2015, Jeelani was based in Uttar Pradesh, where he worked for five years as a reporter. In 2018, Jeelani was one of the two Indian journalists selected for the Alfred Friendly Fellowship in the US. There, he attended training workshops on reporting and data journalism, and he was attached to the Minneapolis Star Tribune in Minnesota, where he worked as a reporter.<br><br> Jeelani is a Bachelor's in Chemistry and holds a Masters Degree in journalism and mass communication from Aligarh Muslim University. Outside work, he enjoys poetry, cricket and movies.
Wait for it…
Oops! Looks like you have exceeded the limit to bookmark the image. Remove some to bookmark this image.