Story perspectives

HarperCollins Sets November 10 Release for Sonia Memoir

By Drooid · Oct 24, 2026, 10:04 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

Penguin Pulls Memoir

Penguin Random House India withdrew from publishing the memoir after an editorial impasse.
The impasse involved proposed deletions about Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the RSS, and China’s actions.
Congress leaders alleged pressure to remove those passages, calling it interference with free expression.
Penguin Random House India denied external influence, saying the changes were routine editorial recommendations.
HarperCollins India acquired Indian publishing rights and set a November 10, 2026 release date.

Summary

Sonia Gandhi Announces Memoir

Sonia Gandhi announced her memoir will be released on November 10.
On X she shared a two-minute video recalling her first meeting with Rajiv Gandhi.
The memoir, titled *Belonging: A Journey of Love*, is 544 pages.
She publicly married Rajiv Gandhi on February 25, 1968.
Rajiv Gandhi served as the Prime Minister from 1984-1989.

History

Historical Context

Indira Gandhi declared a 21-month Emergency in 1975, suspending civil liberties and seizing about 1,200 publications while destroying 5,000 copies. That press clampdown forged a legacy of state pressure on publishing. Penguin Random House India’s current dispute over Sonia Gandhi’s memoir—allegedly urged to omit Narendra Modi, the RSS and China—mirrors that legacy, leading HarperCollins to secure rights for a November 10, 2026 release.

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Penguin Pulls Memoir

Penguin Random House India withdrew from publishing the memoir after an editorial impasse.
The impasse involved proposed deletions about Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the RSS, and China’s actions.
Congress leaders alleged pressure to remove those passages, calling it interference with free expression.
Penguin Random House India denied external influence, saying the changes were routine editorial recommendations.
HarperCollins India acquired Indian publishing rights and set a November 10, 2026 release date.

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