‘Was willing and keen’: Penguin India denies dropping Sonia Gandhi’s memoir

Penguin Random House India (PRHI) on Friday rejected claims that it had decided against publishing Congress leader Sonia Gandhi’s memoir 'Belonging: A Journey of Love' following a disagreement over editorial changes.

The publishing house clarified that it is not the India publisher of the book and said reports suggesting it had withdrawn from the project did not accurately describe what happened.

"Penguin Random House India is not the publisher of Belonging in India. Any suggestion that Penguin Random House India decided not to publish Belonging because the author declined editorial changes does not accurately reflect the circumstances," a company spokesperson said.

Penguin India says it remained keen to publish

PRHI said discussions over editorial recommendations were part of the normal publishing process and maintained that it had remained interested in the memoir.

“As a publisher, it is both our prerogative and our responsibility to fact check and provide authors with recommendations that are in the best interests of their books. This is a normal part of the publishing process. Throughout the relevant discussions, Penguin Random House India's position was that we remained willing and keen to publish the book,” the spokesperson added.

The company said it would not disclose details of its discussions with Gandhi.

The clarification followed a report by The Indian Express claiming that PRHI had decided not to publish the memoir after seeking “editorial changes and deletions” in part of the manuscript, which Gandhi reportedly did not accept.

Memoir set for November release

The book is scheduled for international release on November 10 through Alfred A Knopf, an imprint of Penguin Random House. Knopf had earlier announced an initial print run of one lakh copies.

'Belonging: A Journey of Love' is expected to trace Sonia Gandhi’s life from her childhood in post-war Italy to her move to India and marriage to former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi.

The memoir is also expected to recount major events and tragedies involving the Gandhi family, including the deaths of Sanjay Gandhi, Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi. It is likely to cover her entry into politics and her years as a central figure in one of India’s most prominent political families.

Sonia Gandhi on sharing her story

In the publisher’s announcement, Sonia Gandhi described the memoir as an opportunity to offer her own perspective on her family and the changes she witnessed.

“Much has been written about my family, but few narratives were able to reach into the truth of their motivations, their actions and even their human failings…My story also offers readers a unique perspective of the social and political changes I have witnessed for six decades.”

Other publishers interested in memoir

With Penguin India stepping away, other publishers have shown interest in bringing the book to Indian readers. HarperCollins is said to be close to finalising a deal to publish and distribute the memoir in India.

‘Belonging: A Journey of Love’ is expected to offer a personal account of Sonia Gandhi’s life, from her childhood in post-war Italy and her eventual move to India to her marriage to former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi.

The memoir is also expected to discuss major events that shaped her life, including the deaths of Sanjay Gandhi, Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi, as well as her entry into politics.