The much-awaited memoir of Congress leader Sonia Gandhi, Belonging: A Journey of Love, is set to take a different publishing route in India after Penguin Random House India decided not to publish the book in the country, according to people familiar with the matter.
The development reportedly followed a disagreement over proposed editorial changes and deletions in part of the manuscript. Sources said the changes sought by the Indian publisher were not accepted by Gandhi, leading to the publisher stepping away from the India edition.
With the Indian publisher no longer involved, HarperCollins is reportedly close to finalising an agreement to publish and distribute the memoir in India.
Why Did the Indian Publishing Deal Change?
The book was originally expected to be published in India by Penguin Random House India. However, sources said the publisher sought certain changes and deletions to a section of the manuscript during the editorial process.
Gandhi is understood to have rejected the proposed changes. The disagreement eventually resulted in Penguin Random House India deciding not to proceed with the Indian publication.
The exact passages involved and the nature of the proposed deletions have not been publicly disclosed.
Representatives connected with the international publication and Gandhi’s literary agent were not immediately available for comment, while the Indian publisher’s chief executive also did not respond to questions about the matter.
Memoir Set for November 10 Release
Belonging: A Journey of Love is scheduled for release on November 10.
The book is being published internationally by Alfred A. Knopf, a division of Penguin Random House. The publisher has announced an initial print run of 100,000 copies, highlighting the expected interest in Gandhi’s personal account.
The memoir is being presented as an intimate account of her life, family and experiences in India.
Gandhi has written and edited books in the past, but this memoir is expected to be considerably more personal. It covers her experiences over several decades and offers her perspective on both her family and the major social and political changes she witnessed in India.
Sonia Gandhi Calls It a Personal Account
In a statement about the book, Gandhi said that much had already been written about her family, but she felt that many accounts did not fully explore the motivations, actions and human weaknesses of the people involved.
She has described the memoir as an opportunity to present her own perspective on the events and experiences that shaped her life.
The book is expected to cover nearly six decades of her experience, giving readers an account that goes beyond her public political career and focuses on family, relationships and personal experiences.
HarperCollins Reportedly in Talks to Publish the Indian Edition
With Penguin Random House India no longer expected to publish the book, several Indian publishers are reportedly interested in taking on the project.
Among them, HarperCollins is said to be close to reaching an agreement to publish and distribute the memoir in India.
If finalised, the change would mean that the Indian edition of one of the year’s most closely watched political memoirs would reach readers through a different publisher from the one originally expected to handle it.
A Publisher’s Recent Disputes Over Manuscripts
The development also comes after Penguin Random House India faced other controversies involving books and manuscripts.
Earlier this year, the publisher had stated that it had not printed former Army Chief General M M Naravane’s memoir Four Stars of Destiny. A physical copy of the book was, however, displayed by Rahul Gandhi in Parliament. Media reports had also carried excerpts concerning subjects including the Galwan clashes between India and China and the Agnipath military recruitment scheme.
In another case, the publisher withdrew from publishing acclaimed graphic novelist Joe Sacco’s book The Once and Future Riot, which dealt with the Muzaffarnagar riots. At the time, the publisher said it had raised content-related concerns with the author during its legal review, including an issue involving a map that it considered to contain inaccurate representations of India’s boundaries.
What Happens Next?
For now, the international release of Belonging: A Journey of Love remains scheduled for November 10, while discussions over its Indian publishing rights are continuing.
The central issue behind the change in publisher remains the reported disagreement over editorial changes to the manuscript. Neither the specific portions involved nor the exact deletions sought have been made public.
The memoir is nevertheless expected to attract significant attention because of its personal nature and Gandhi’s long association with some of India’s most important political and social developments. The eventual Indian publisher will therefore take on the task of bringing a highly anticipated account of her life and experiences to Indian readers.
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