New Delhi: Penguin Random House India, which was expected to publish Congress leader Sonia Gandhi’s memoir Belonging: A Journey of Love in India, will no longer be associated with the title’s Indian publication, according to reports.
The development follows reported differences between the publisher and the author over certain “editorial changes and deletions” sought in a portion of the manuscript. Gandhi is understood to have rejected the proposed changes.
With Penguin India no longer in the picture, several Indian publishers are reportedly competing for the rights to the book, with HarperCollins said to be close to finalising an agreement to publish and distribute the memoir in India.
The book is scheduled for release on November 10. Its international publication was first announced by Alfred A. Knopf, a US-based imprint of Penguin Random House. Knopf had announced an initial print run of 100,000 copies, underlining the scale of anticipation surrounding the memoir.
However, Penguin Random House India has disputed the characterisation that it decided against publishing the book because Gandhi rejected editorial changes.
In a statement released on Instagram on Friday, the publisher said: “Any suggestion that Penguin Random House India decided not to publish ‘Belonging’ because the author declined editorial changes does not accurately reflect the circumstances.”
The publisher said fact-checking and making editorial recommendations were part of its responsibility as a publisher.
“As a publisher, it is both our prerogative and our responsibility to fact check and provide authors with recommendations that are in the best interests of their books. This is a normal part of the publishing process,” PRHI said.
The publisher further stated that its position was that it “remained willing and keen to publish the book”, while declining to comment further on what it described as confidential discussions with the author.
The change in the Indian publishing arrangement comes as interest in Gandhi’s memoir remains high, given her six-decade association with India’s political and social landscape and her position within one of the country’s most prominent political families.
Gandhi has previously authored and edited books, but Belonging is being positioned as a more personal account of her life and experiences. Knopf has described the book as a memoir exploring love, family and the social and political changes Gandhi has witnessed over six decades.
In the announcement of the book, Gandhi said much had been written about her family, but that few narratives had been able to explore the motivations, actions and human failings behind its history. She also described the memoir as offering readers a perspective on the social and political changes she has witnessed over six decades.
For the Indian publishing industry, the change in publisher could make the title one of the more closely watched publishing deals ahead of its November release. The reported 100,000-copy initial print run announced by Knopf also points to expectations of significant demand for the book.
The final Indian publishing arrangement, including the publisher responsible for the domestic release and distribution, is expected to become clearer as negotiations with prospective publishers progress.
