Papa looking down proudly at his beautiful Sonia: Rahul Gandhi's emotional note on mother's memoir

With his mother Sonia Gandhis memoir set to be released later this year Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday said he was proud that her story would be read by millions of people who love herIn an emotional message posted on X Rahul Gandhi also spoke about the difficulty his mother would have faced in sharing her personal story publicly given how private she has been about her lifeSonia Gandhis memoir Belonging A Journey of Love is scheduled to hit the stands on November 10 according to publisher Alfred A Knopf an American imprint of Penguin Random House Penguin Random House India has not yet confirmed the books release date in IndiaRahul recalls life after Rajiv Gandhis deathThe memoir will recount Sonia Gandhis journey from her childhood in Italy and her meeting with Rajiv Gandhi in Cambridge to her marriage into one of Indias most prominent political familiesIt will also cover the death of Rajiv Gandhi which drew Sonia Gandhi into what she described as the public world of politics and her decision to decline the prime ministers post after the Congressled alliance won the 2004 general electionsIn his message Rahul Gandhi reflected on the familys personal loss following the assassination of his fatherMama 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 neverending courage and dignityOnly Priyanka and I really know what you have been through and how difficult your life after Papa truly was Rahul Gandhi saidHe said he was pleased that his mothers story would now reach a much wider audienceI 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 he saidRahul says Rajiv would be proud of SoniaReferring to his fathers birth anniversary Rahul Gandhi said he could imagine Rajiv Gandhi looking down proudly at his wifeToday on his birthday Rahul Gandhi said he can see Papa smiling and looking down proudly at his beautiful SoniaRajiv Gandhi was born on August 20 1944Sonia Gandhis memoir is expected to provide an account of her personal life and the events that eventually drew her into Indian politics According to the Alfred A Knopf website the book begins in Cambridge England in 1965 when 19yearold Sonia Maino meets Rajiv GandhiMemoir traces Sonias journey from Italy to IndiaSonia Gandhi now 79 has rarely spoken publicly about her private life The memoir traces her journey from her childhood in postwar Italy to her relationship with Rajiv Gandhi and her eventual life in IndiaThe publisher describes the book as an account of the personal experiences and losses that shaped her life and influenced her adopted countrySonia Gandhi writes about meeting her formidable motherinlaw Indira Gandhi Indias first woman prime minister She also recalls adapting to life in India including learning to speak Hindi wearing saris and developing a taste for Indian foodFrom airline pilots wife to political leaderIn her early years in India Sonia Gandhi was married to Rajiv Gandhi then a commercial airline pilot and was raising their two children Rahul and PriyankaShe witnessed a series of tragedies that transformed the Gandhi familys life including the death of her brotherinlaw Sanjay Gandhi in a plane crash and the assassination of Indira GandhiRajiv Gandhi later became prime minister following his mothers assassination in 1984 He was himself assassinated in 1991Sonia Gandhi recalls decision to reject PM postThe memoir also covers Sonia Gandhis role in Indian politics and her decision in 2004 not to become prime minister after the Congressled alliance won the general electionsInstead she chose Manmohan Singh to lead the governmentThe book seeks to offer an insiders account of Indias economic and social changes over six decades while also focusing on Sonia Gandhis personal experiencesSonia Gandhi has said writing about her life required her to revisit deeply personal experiences and losses that she had kept private for yearsIt was heartbreak and loss that threw her into the public world of politicsUp till then I had guarded my privacy fiercely Sonia Gandhi said in a statement issued here on Tuesday by publisher Alfred A KnopfWriting about my life did not come easily to me It meant opening myself up sharing moments and experiences I had always held deep inside she said