‘Remained Willing And Keen’: Penguin Says ‘Not Publishing’ Sonia Gandhi’s Memoir In India

Last Updated:August 28, 2026, 1:39 PM IST

The clarification comes after reports that Penguin Random House India had sought changes and deletions in parts of the manuscript, which were not accepted by Gandhi

Cover page of Sonia Gandhi’s memoir ‘Belonging’.

Penguin Random House India has pushed back against reports that it dropped Sonia Gandhi’s upcoming memoir Belonging: A Journey of Love after the Congress leader refused to accept editorial changes, saying it was “not the publisher” of the book in India and had remained willing to publish it.

The clarification comes after reports that Penguin Random House India had sought changes and deletions in parts of the manuscript, which were not accepted by Sonia Gandhi. The memoir is currently scheduled for release on November 10 and is being published internationally by Alfred A Knopf, an imprint of Penguin Random House.

In a statement, Penguin Random House India said it was “not the publisher of Belonging in India”.

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The publisher also rejected suggestions that it decided against publishing the memoir because the author declined editorial changes. “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 spokesperson said.

Penguin Random House India said fact-checking and making recommendations to authors were a normal part of the publishing process. “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,” the statement said.

The publisher further said that throughout the discussions, it had remained willing to publish the memoir. “Throughout the relevant discussions, Penguin Random House India’s position was that we remained willing and keen to publish the book,” the statement said.

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However, the company declined to disclose details of its discussions with Gandhi, citing confidentiality. “We will not comment further on confidential discussions with the author,” Penguin Random House India said.

The memoir, Belonging: A Journey of Love, is due to be released on November 10. It is expected to offer a deeply personal account of Gandhi’s life, including her journey from Italy to India, her marriage to Rajiv Gandhi, her entry into public life and her decades in Indian politics. Alfred A Knopf had announced the book with a planned first print run of 1,00,000 copies.

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Will Sonia Gandhi’s memoir be published in India eventually?

Sonia Gandhi’s memoir, “Belonging: A Journey of Love,” is expected to be published in India by another publisher, with HarperCollins reportedly close to finalising an agreement. Penguin Random House India stated it was not the publisher of the book in India.

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Apoorva Misra is an Associate Editor at News18.com with a keen interest in politics and current affairs. She loves uncovering fresh angles and telling stories through long-form features and explainers…Read More

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