Sonia Gandhi recalls how her love story with Rajiv Gandhi began in Cambridge: ‘I felt almost immediately…’

India’s Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi has recalled how her love story with former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi began at a small Greek restaurant in Cambridge, England, in 1965.

In a video shared on social media, Sonia looked back on their first meeting and the early days of their relationship, offering a rare glimpse into her personal life ahead of the release of her memoir, Belonging: A Journey of Love, on November 10.

The post also marked Sonia's debut on X, where she shared memories of the relationship that shaped much of her personal life.

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"In a small Greek restaurant in Cambridge, my journey of love began. Rajiv and I created a world filled with love, laughter and memories. On 10th November, I share that world with you," she wrote.

How Sonia met Rajiv

Recalling her time in England, Sonia spoke about the difficulty of finding good food during those days, when restaurants were relatively few. She eventually discovered a Greek restaurant frequented by Indian and Italian students.

It was there that she met Rajiv Gandhi, who was studying in Cambridge at the time. A mutual friend introduced them, and they gradually became friends, attending parties and spending time together.

Sonia said she felt almost immediately that Rajiv was someone she wanted to be with and later learnt that he felt the same way.

"That is when I met Rajiv; in that very restaurant. When I first met him, I felt almost immediately that he was someone I would really love to be with. And of course, I learned out he felt the same," she recalled.

Speaking about what attracted her to Rajiv, Sonia highlighted his gentle nature alongside his looks.

"He was a very gentle-looking person. Of course he was very good-looking, but that gentleness came through. That was something that really touched me and struck me. I'll never forget when I first met him," she said.

Memoir explores love, loss and political journey

Sonia Gandhi also made her first Instagram post on Thursday, sharing the first look at her forthcoming memoir and expressing gratitude for the opportunity to introduce it to readers.

"It is a story of love, duty, loss, and finding a place to belong. I look forward to sharing it with you," she wrote.

A video accompanying the post showed Sonia receiving the first copies of the book and sharing sweets with her daughter, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. The two were also seen embracing.

The 544-page memoir will be released on November 10, with pre-orders already open. Alfred A. Knopf is publishing the book globally, while HarperCollins India will handle its release in India.

The book traces Sonia's journey from her childhood in post-war Italy to her meeting and relationship with Rajiv Gandhi. It also recounts the personal tragedies that shaped her life, including the assassinations of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1984 and Rajiv Gandhi in 1991.

The memoir further explores how these experiences influenced Sonia’s eventual entry into Indian politics, offering readers an account of the personal experiences behind her public life.