Sonia Gandhi’s memoir Belonging: A Journey of Love will now be published in India by HarperCollins India, ending uncertainty over the book’s Indian release after Penguin Random House India dropped plans to publish it.
The memoir is scheduled to hit Indian bookstores on November 10, 2026. It is expected to be closely watched given Gandhi’s decades-long involvement in Indian politics and the book’s focus on her personal journey, identity, relationships and life in India.
HarperCollins India announced the publishing deal on Friday, describing Belonging as a highly anticipated political memoir that goes beyond politics to explore themes of love, duty and belonging.
The publisher said the book provides a personal account of Gandhi’s experiences while offering an inside perspective on India’s political and social journey.
What Happened Between Sonia Gandhi and Penguin?
The book was initially associated with Alfred A. Knopf, the US publishing imprint of Penguin Random House, which had announced its global release for November 10.
However, the Indian edition ran into difficulties.
Penguin Random House India said it had been prepared to publish the memoir but also stressed that publishers have a responsibility to verify factual material contained in books they release. The disagreement reportedly centred on requests for changes to certain passages.
Gandhi did not agree to the proposed alterations. The Indian arm of Penguin Random House subsequently decided not to publish the memoir.
HarperCollins Steps In
The decision left the Indian edition without a publisher, but that situation has now changed with HarperCollins India taking responsibility for its release.
In its announcement, HarperCollins positioned Belonging as a personal and reflective memoir rather than simply a political account. The book is expected to examine Gandhi’s experiences through themes of family, identity, responsibility and her connection with India.
The announcement also comes weeks after Penguin Random House India publicly clarified that it would not be bringing the memoir to the Indian market.
With HarperCollins now on board, Belonging: A Journey of Love remains scheduled for November 10, 2026, giving Indian readers a confirmed publisher for one of the year’s most anticipated political memoirs.
