Sonia Gandhi Book Launch: 'Belongings: A Journey of Love' Reveals Untold Gandhi Family Stories

Former Congress president Sonia Gandhi's much-awaited book, Belongings: A Journey of Love, is set to launch today, attracting significant political and public attention. The 544-page book, which Sonia Gandhi describes as a personal account rather than a political statement, offers an insight into her life, relationships and the history of the Gandhi family. Sonia says she has tried to present her family's story with complete honesty, adding that while people have narrated her story for years, it is now her turn to tell it herself. The book traces her journey from Italy to India, her first meeting with former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, their relationship and her experiences as a member of the Gandhi family. It also revisits some of the family's most tragic moments, including Sanjay Gandhi's death in a plane crash, the assassination of Indira Gandhi in 1984 and Rajiv Gandhi's assassination in 1991. Sonia also reflects on the Emergency, the political differences within the family and the events surrounding the 2004 Lok Sabha elections, when Congress secured victory and she declined to become Prime Minister. The book features several personal photographs, offering glimpses of Sonia's childhood, parents, marriage, family life and political journey alongside Rajiv Gandhi. It also includes references to Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi and her grandchildren. Beginning with verses from the Rigveda, the book is divided into several sections covering love, courtship, personal experiences, political life and her journey with the Congress party. Through this memoir, Sonia Gandhi offers readers a rare personal perspective on the Gandhi family, its struggles, relationships, political milestones and defining moments in India's contemporary history.