CM Sukhu hails Sonia Gandhi's memoir on Rajiv Gandhi

Key Takeaways

Sonia Gandhi personally shared the first copy of her memoir 'Belonging: A Journey of Love' around 25 October 2026 .

The book covers her early life, including her first meeting with the late Rajiv Gandhi and formative personal memories.

Himachal Pradesh CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu publicly praised the memoir on X, expressing deep anticipation to read it.

Sukhu described the book as an opportunity to discover 'untouched aspects' of Sonia Gandhi's life, combining personal experience with human sensibility.

Rajiv Gandhi served as Prime Minister of India from 1984 to 1989 and was assassinated in 1991 .

Senior Congress leaders reacting to personal publications by the Nehru-Gandhi family is a long-standing tradition within the party.

A book. A first copy. And decades of memory made public — Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu marked the occasion on Sunday, 25 October 2026, when CPP Chairperson Sonia Gandhi personally shared the first copy of her memoir, Belonging: A Journey of Love, with her own hands.

Writing in Hindi on X, CM Sukhu described the book as an emotional window into Sonia Gandhi's earliest memories — her first meeting with the late Rajiv Gandhi and the formative days of a life that would later become inseparable from modern Indian political history. 'Through memories of her first meeting with the late Rajiv Gandhi ji and the early days of her life, Sonia ji is bringing forth that emotional chapter where love joined two lives and time made those memories a part of history,' Sukhu wrote.

A memoir rooted in personal history

Sonia Gandhi, an Italian-born political figure who became one of the most consequential personalities in Indian public life, has long been a subject of biographical curiosity. Her marriage to Rajiv Gandhi — who served as Prime Minister of India from 1984 to 1989 before his assassination in 1991 — placed her at the epicentre of national grief and, eventually, national politics. Belonging: A Journey of Love appears to take readers back to where it all began: the personal, the private, the pre-political.

Sukhu said his own anticipation for the book runs deep. 'Reading Sonia ji's intimate memoirs will be an opportunity to know those untouched aspects of her life that carry not only personal experiences but also the truth of human sensibilities,' he noted.

Sukhu's tribute and the Congress literary tradition

Senior Congress leaders responding to personal publications by the Nehru-Gandhi family is a recurring thread in the party's cultural fabric. These gestures reinforce both personal solidarity and a shared sense of historical ownership over the dynasty's narrative. Sukhu's warm endorsement fits squarely within that tradition — but the book itself, surfacing personal recollections of Rajiv Gandhi told in Sonia Gandhi's own voice, carries weight beyond routine party expression.

For a generation of Congress workers and political historians alike, a firsthand account of those early years represents genuinely new territory. The specifics of publication details remain to be confirmed, but the first copy has now been shared — and the conversation has already begun.

Point of View

Which can broaden her appeal beyond the party base. For the Congress, a memoir anchored in Rajiv Gandhi's personal story also serves as a subtle reminder of the dynasty's sacrifices. Whether the book reshapes public perception of Sonia Gandhi beyond loyal party circles will depend on its reception among general readers.

NationPress

25 Oct 2026

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Sonia Gandhi's new book 'Belonging: A Journey of Love' about?

'Belonging: A Journey of Love' is Sonia Gandhi's memoir covering her early life, including her first meeting with Rajiv Gandhi and the personal experiences that shaped her. She personally shared the first copy of the book in October 2026.

What did CM Sukhu say about Sonia Gandhi's book?

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu called the memoir an emotional account of Sonia Gandhi's life, expressing deep anticipation to read it and describing it as an opportunity to understand untouched personal aspects of her life.

Who is Sonia Gandhi?

Sonia Gandhi is the Chairperson of the Congress Parliamentary Party and the widow of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, who served from 1984 to 1989. She is one of the most influential figures in the Indian National Congress.

When did Sonia Gandhi share the first copy of her memoir?

Sonia Gandhi personally shared the first copy of 'Belonging: A Journey of Love' around 25 October 2026, prompting reactions from Congress leaders including Himachal Pradesh CM Sukhu.

What is Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu's connection to Sonia Gandhi?

Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu is the Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh and a member of the Indian National Congress, the party that Sonia Gandhi has long led. His comment on her memoir reflects party solidarity and personal admiration.