'His Gentle Nature Charmed Me Most': Sonia Gandhi Recalls Her Romance with Rajiv Gandhi as Memoir 'Belonging' Nears Release
Congress leader Sonia Gandhi has recalled her romance and married life with former Indian prime minister Rajiv Gandhi. From their first meeting at a small Greek restaurant in Cambridge to the journey of a long life, her account covers it all.
In a video posted on the social media platform X on Saturday (24 October), Sonia spoke about her forthcoming book 'Belonging: A Journey of Love' and shared these memories.
Earlier, on Thursday (22 October), Sonia opened an account on X for the first time. She then spoke about the book in her first video post on Saturday.
The book is scheduled to be published on 10 November. It presents her memories with former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi and her life's journey from youth to the present day.
In the roughly two-minute video, Sonia said she first met Rajiv at a Greek restaurant in Cambridge in the United Kingdom. Their love story began from there.
In the video published on X, Sonia said: 'My journey of love began in a small Greek restaurant in Cambridge. Rajiv and I created a world filled with love, laughter and memories. On 10 November I will share that world with you.'
Sonia also recalled the difficulty of finding good food in England in those days. She said restaurants were few then, and she eventually found a Greek restaurant regularly visited by Indian and Italian students. It was there, through a mutual friend, that she first met Rajiv Gandhi.
Recalling how she felt on first seeing Rajiv Gandhi, Sonia said: 'Of course he was very handsome. But what charmed and touched me most was his gentle and polite nature. At first sight I felt he was someone I wanted to be with.'
Sonia added that she later learned Rajiv had felt the same way. In her words, she will never forget that first meeting with Rajiv.
On Thursday, alongside X, Sonia Gandhi also made her debut on Instagram. In her first Instagram post, sharing the book's cover and a first glimpse, she wrote: 'This is a story of love, duty, loss and finding a lasting home of one's own.'
The 544-page memoir is being published worldwide by Alfred A. Knopf, while HarperCollins India is responsible for its publication in India.
The book covers Sonia Gandhi's childhood in post-war Italy, her meeting with Rajiv Gandhi, her later entry into Indian politics, and personal tragedies such as the assassinations of Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi.
Beyond the hard life of politics, this personal story of Sonia Gandhi has already created interest among readers ahead of publication. Many unknown chapters of her life are expected to come to light once the book is released on 10 November.
