New Delhi [India], August 20 (ANI): On the 82nd birth anniversary of his father and former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, Leader of Opposition (LoP) Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Thursday penned a deeply emotional note to his mother, Sonia Gandhi, hailing her "never-ending courage and dignity" in the 35 years since his father's passing.
In a heartfelt social media post on X, Rahul Gandhi shared his mother's upcoming memoir, titled "Belonging: A Journey of Love", expressing pride that her life's journey would finally be shared with the public.
"Mama, I last saw you and Papa together more than 35 years ago. Since the day Papa left, I have watched you face everything life threw at you with never-ending courage and dignity. Only Priyanka and I really know what you have been through, and how difficult your life after Papa truly was," Rahul Gandhi wrote.
Acknowledging his mother's private nature, Rahul noted how significant it was for her to share her personal narrative with the world.
"I am happy, and so proud, that your story--'Belonging: A Journey of Love'--will finally be read by the millions of people who love you. I know how hard it was for someone as private as you to tell the world your beautiful story. Today, on his birthday, I can see Papa smiling and looking down proudly at his beautiful Sonia," the Congress leader added.
Earlier, publisher Alfred A Knopf announced on Tuesday that Sonia Gandhi's memoir will be published on November 10.
The memoir chronicles Sonia Gandhi's remarkable journey, from her childhood in post-war Italy and her romance that brought her to India to the devastating personal losses that profoundly shaped her life and her relationship with her adopted country.
In the memoir, the 79-year-old Congress veteran, who holds the distinction of being the party's longest-serving president, revisits her childhood in Italy, her romance with former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi during their time at Cambridge, and the assassinations of her mother-in-law, Indira Gandhi, and husband Rajiv Gandhi.
The cover of the book features a graceful black-and-white photograph of Sonia Gandhi from her youth.
"Cover Reveal BELONGING is a riveting memoir by one of the world's most prominent women leaders that tells a richly engaging story of love, family, and an endlessly fascinating country: India. The once famously reticent Sonia Gandhi opens up with warmth and candour to narrate her remarkable life, from her childhood in small-town Italy, to the romance that brings her to India, to the shattering losses that will reshape not only her own future but also that of her adopted home. Coming 11/10/26 Design by John Gall," read a post on Alfred A. Knopf's Instagram handle.
Born in Italy, Sonia Gandhi was a 19-year-old student in Cambridge, England, when she met Rajiv Gandhi in 1965. The couple exchanged vows on February 25, 1968. (ANI)
"Papa looking down proudly at his beautiful Sonia": Rahul Gandhi on former PM Rajiv Gandhi's 82nd birth anniversary
