Sonia Gandhi’s memoir: Penguin Random House India says it is not the publisher

Penguin Random Home India on Friday (August 28, 2026) clarified that it isn’t the writer of Congress chief Sonia Gandhi’s memoir, ‘Belonging: A Journey of Love’ in India, after a information report acknowledged that the publishing home reportedly backed out attributable to disagreements over editorial modifications.

A spokesperson has knowledgeable The Hindu that it was the writer’s “prerogative and accountability to fact-check and supply authors with suggestions which are in one of the best pursuits of their books”.

“Penguin Random Home India will not be the writer of ‘Belonging’ in India. Any suggestion that Penguin Random Home India determined to not publish ‘Belonging’ as a result of the creator declined editorial modifications doesn’t precisely mirror the circumstances.”

“As a writer, it’s each our prerogative and our accountability to fact-check and supply authors with suggestions which are in one of the best pursuits of their books. It is a regular a part of the publishing course of. All through the related discussions, Penguin Random Home India’s place was that we remained prepared and eager to publish the e-book,” the spokesperson stated.

The consultant additionally famous that confidential discussions are on with the creator.

The Indian Categorical reported earlier on Friday that Ms. Gandhi turned down “editorial modifications and deletions” instructed by the publishing home in “part of the manuscript”.

Writer but to be introduced

On August 18, the New York Metropolis-based Alfred A. Knopf, a division of Penguin Random Home, had introduced that Ms. Gandhi’s memoir will probably be printed on November 10. In it, she is going to mirror on the promise and the tragedy of marrying into the Nehru-Gandhi political dynasty and on her personal profession in authorities. Knopf had additionally stated that the primary print run for the title could be 1,00,000 copies.

A number of publishers in India are within the race to publish and distribute the e-book.

Earlier this 12 months, in June, Penguin Random Home India had pulled the plug on graphic novelist Joe Sacco’s e-book titled ‘The As soon as and Future Riot’, concerning the 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots. In interviews, the writer cited issues over a map of India and unresolved quotation points. Communal violence had erupted in Muzaffarnagar in September 2013 after some BJP leaders had been accused of constructing inflammatory speeches. The riots left at the least 60 individuals lifeless and displaced tens of 1000’s of Muslim households. Sacco had visited Muzaffarnagar a 12 months later for interviews and reportage.

In February, Penguin Random Home India discovered itself within the midst of one other controversy concerning former Military Chief Basic M.M. Naravane’s memoir, ‘4 Stars of Future’, which allegedly revealed delicate particulars concerning the 2020 India-China navy standoff in Ladakh. It had issued a press release that it had “not printed” the e-book, however Congress chief Rahul Gandhi waved a replica of the e-book in Parliament.

An earlier model of this report acknowledged that Penguin Random Home India had backed out of publishing the memoir in India. This has been up to date following the clarification assertion from the publishing home.