HarperCollins to publish Sonia Gandhi's memoir amid row over Penguin backing out

HarperCollins India will publish Congress leader Sonia Gandhi's memoir Belonging: A Journey of Love, following Penguin Random House India's decision to withdraw as publisher, with the book set for global release on November 10.HarperCollins India will publish Congress leader Sonia Gandhi’s memoir amid a controversy over Penguin Random House India’s decision not to publish the book, the publisher announced on Friday.The memoir, Belonging: A Journey of Love by, is scheduled for global release on November 10. It will chronicle Gandhi’s journey from her childhood in post-war Italy to her life in India, her marriage to former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi and her decades at the centre of Indian politics.Calling the Congress leader’s work "one of the most anticipated political memoirs of our time", HarperCollins said the book offers a "rare insider's view of India's journey".The development comes after Penguin India decided not to publish and release the book in India. Reports said the publisher had sought certain editorial changes and deletions from parts of the manuscript, which Gandhi’s team did not agree to. The controversy over the Indian publication of the book began after US-based Alfred A Knopf, an imprint of Penguin Random House, announced that the book would be released worldwide on November 10. Subsequently, Penguin India issued a clarification stating that it was not the publisher of the book in India.This triggered the political controversy further, with Congress leaders alleging that Penguin India had sought the removal of passages relating to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the RSS and India-China relations. Congress leaders also alleged that Penguin India's decision was under pressure. However, Penguin India claimed that there was no external pressure behind its decision to not publish the memoir, acknowledging that there was an impasse over "a particular issue" during discussions.- EndsPublished By: Devika BhattacharyaPublished On: Sep 4, 2026 12:09 IST