Belonging: A Memoir, An Account Of A Journey From Italy To India, Says Uttam
According to Uttam Kumar Reddy, the title captures the book’s deepest theme: that belonging is not determined by birthplace alone but grows through love, shared struggle and service.
Hyderabad:Irrigation minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy has described Congress leader Sonia Gandhi’s recently released memoir, ‘Belonging: A Journey of Love’, as more than a political memoir and called it an account of a journey from Italy to India that was shaped by love, loss, service and a deep sense of belonging.
Commenting on the book, which was released on November 10, Uttam Kumar Reddy on his X handle noted that the memoir placed the private story of a wife and mother alongside the history of the nation. He highlighted the human dimension of the deaths of Sanjay Gandhi, Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi, describing them as devastating family losses as well as defining public events.
He praised Sonia Gandhi’s restraint and composure in the face of personal attacks, calling her an example of grace, dignity and decency. He also referred to her decision to enter politics after years of reluctance as an act of duty, and her choice in 2004 to decline the office of Prime Minister while supporting Dr Manmohan Singh for the post as an “extraordinary moment of political judgment and personal conviction.”
According to Uttam Kumar Reddy, the title captures the book’s deepest theme: that belonging is not determined by birthplace alone but grows through love, shared struggle and service. He described the memoir as a rare opportunity to understand the woman behind the public role — shaped by affection, bereavement, courage and commitment — and as a moving account of personal endurance and public duty.
