'Of course he was very good-looking': Sonia Gandhi recalls first meeting with Rajiv

Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi has taken to X for the first time, sharing memories of how she met former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in Cambridge, England, in 1965. In a video posted on the platform, she recalled the early days of their relationship and spoke about her forthcoming memoir, ‘Belonging: A Journey of Love’, which is scheduled to be released on November 10.

How Sonia Gandhi met Rajiv Gandhi

Sonia recalled meeting Rajiv at The Varsity, a small Greek restaurant in Cambridge that she had discovered while looking for good food in England. She said the restaurant was popular among Indian and Italian students at the time.

A common friend introduced the two, and they gradually became friends, attending parties with their social circle. Looking back at their first meeting, Sonia said she felt drawn to Rajiv almost immediately.

"That is when I met Rajiv; in that very restaurant. When I first met him, I felt almost immediately that he was someone I would really love to be with. And of course, I learned out he felt the same. I remember when I first met him, a common friend introduced us and then we became friends. We used to go to parties with friends," Sonia recalled.

Asked about what she found attractive about Rajiv, she spoke about both his appearance and his nature.

"He was a very gentle-looking person. Of course he was very good-looking, but that gentleness came through. That was something that really touched me and struck me. I'll never forget when I first met him," she added.

Memoir to trace journey from Italy to Indian politics

Sonia's first post on X also introduced her memoir, which she described as a personal account of love and the life she shared with Rajiv.

"In a small Greek restaurant in Cambridge, my journey of love began. Rajiv and I created a world filled with love, laughter and memories. On 10th November, I share that world with you," she said.

The memoir spans 544 pages and follows Sonia's journey from her childhood in post-war Italy to her meeting and eventual relationship with Rajiv Gandhi. It also recounts the assassinations of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi, and examines Sonia's subsequent role in Indian politics.

Earlier on Thursday, Sonia joined Instagram and shared the first look of the book, expressing gratitude at being able to introduce it to readers.

"Hello everyone, I'm truly grateful to share this moment with you all: the first look of Belonging: A Journey of Love. It is a story of love, duty, loss, and finding a place to belong. I look forward to sharing it with you," Sonia Gandhi wrote.

Published globally by Alfred A. Knopf, the memoir will be released in India by HarperCollins India. Pre-orders have opened ahead of the November 10 launch.