Sonia Gandhi has joined Instagram, sharing the first look at her upcoming memoir, Belonging: A Journey of Love, in her debut post on October 22. The video shows her receiving copies of the book and celebrating with daughter Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.
Sonia Gandhi on Instagram now: Here's what she posted first
Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi has made her Instagram debut, using her first post to share a glimpse of her upcoming memoir, Belonging: A Journey of Love. The veteran Congress leader described the book as a personal story of “love, duty, loss and finding a place to belong”.
In the video shared on her new Instagram account on Thursday, October 22, Gandhi is seen receiving the first copies of the book. She also shares sweets with her daughter, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, to mark the occasion.
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'I'm truly grateful'
“Hello everyone, I'm truly grateful to share this moment with you all; the first look of Belonging: A Journey of Love,” Gandhi said in her introductory post.
“It is a story of love, duty, loss and finding a place to belong. I look forward to sharing it with you,” the former Congress president added.
Gandhi also points out the photographs included in the book, offering followers an early glimpse of the memoir before its release next month.
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When will Sonia Gandhi's book be released?
HarperCollins India will publish Belonging: A Journey of Love on November 10. The announcement last month ended uncertainty over the book's publication in India after an impasse between the author's representatives and Penguin Random House India (PRHI).
HarperCollins described the memoir as one of the most anticipated political books of its time, promising a personal account of love, identity, duty and belonging, alongside an insider's perspective on India's journey.
The change of publisher followed reports of differences between PRHI and Gandhi's representatives over proposed editorial changes to the manuscript. Some Congress leaders alleged that there had been pressure to remove passages concerning Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and China's occupation of Indian territory during the Modi government.
PRHI said it had been keen to publish the memoir and described the acquisition as one it had worked hard to secure. However, it ultimately withdrew because of a stalemate over a particular issue. The publisher denied any external pressure and declined to disclose further details, citing confidentiality obligations and its agreement with the author.
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What does Sonia Gandhi's memoir cover?
Belonging traces Gandhi's journey from her childhood in post-war Veneto, Italy, to her life in India as a member of one of the country's most prominent political families.
The memoir recounts her time in Cambridge, where she met Rajiv Gandhi in 1965. Rajiv was the grandson of Jawaharlal Nehru, India's first prime minister. The book goes on to describe their marriage, her introduction to her mother-in-law, former prime minister Indira Gandhi, and her adjustment to Indian life, including learning Hindi, wearing saris and adapting to Indian food and culture.
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The memoir also revisits tragedies
It also revisits tragedies that shaped the Gandhi family, including the death of Sanjay Gandhi in a plane crash, Indira Gandhi's assassination in 1984 and Rajiv Gandhi's assassination in 1991.
The account further explores the political developments surrounding the Congress-led alliance's victory in the 2004 general election. Sonia Gandhi declined to become prime minister and instead led the Congress and the United Progressive Alliance (UPA), which governed India for the following decade.
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Prominent leaders on Instagram
Sonia Gandhi's debut brings another prominent member of the Congress family to Instagram and within 2 hours of debut she garnered nearly 23,000 followers.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with approximately 106.8 million followers, has the highest number of Instagram followers globally.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah has around 36.1 million, while Rahul Gandhi has approximately 16.3 million followers. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has about 2.9 million followers on her account. These figures are approximate and can change as Instagram accounts gain or lose followers. Gandhi's new account will give users another platform to follow updates about her memoir and public life.
