HarperCollins to Publish Sonia Gandhi Memoir Belonging Globally Following Penguin Dispute

HarperCollins India has announced it will publish Congress leader Sonia Gandhi’s highly anticipated memoir, Belonging: A Journey of Love, with a global release scheduled for November 10, 2026. This decision follows a major publishing controversy after Penguin Random House India withdrew from the project following an impasse over editorial modifications. The transition has sparked a heated political row, with opposition leaders alleging government pressure and censorship.

RMN News Political Desk
New Delhi | September 4, 2026

The global publishing landscape and Indian political circles experienced a major shift as HarperCollins India officially secured the rights to publish Sonia Gandhi’s memoir, Belonging: A Journey of Love. The book is scheduled for a worldwide release on November 10, 2026.

The memoir is expected to provide an intimate and detailed account of Gandhi’s life, beginning with her early childhood in post-war Italy, her relocation to India, her marriage to former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, and her extensive career at the absolute center of Indian politics. HarperCollins has described the work as one of the most anticipated political memoirs of our time, promising readers a rare insider perspective on the modern journey of India.

This major publishing agreement comes directly after Penguin Random House India decided to withdraw from the project. Reports indicate that Penguin India had requested specific editorial alterations and deletions within certain sections of the manuscript, which Sonia Gandhi’s editorial team declined to accept.

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The publication timeline originally came to light when the United States-based imprint Alfred A. Knopf, which is part of Penguin Random House, announced the global release date. Following that announcement, Penguin India issued a formal clarification stating that it would not serve as the publisher for the book within India.

The decision by Penguin India quickly escalated into a national political controversy. Prominent leaders from the Congress party publicly alleged that the publisher had faced significant external pressure to alter the text. According to these leaders, the requested editorial removals specifically concerned passages discussing Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, and India-China relations, including the occupation of Indian territory during the tenure of Prime Minister Modi.

Congress leaders criticized the development, describing the publisher’s withdrawal as a direct blow to democratic values and freedom of expression. Additionally, Congress claimed that elements within the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government were fearful of the public reading the memoir.

In response to these allegations, Penguin India strongly denied any outside interference or political pressure. A representative for the publisher emphasized that the content of the manuscript remained strictly confidential and under embargo, ruling out external influence.

The publisher explained that while they were highly enthusiastic about releasing the memoir, characterizing it as a hard-won acquisition, the two negotiating sides reached an impasse over one specific, undisclosed issue. According to Penguin India, it was ultimately Sonia Gandhi’s representatives who informed the publisher that they no longer wished to move forward with the publication contract.