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Sonia Gandhi’s upcoming memoir, titled Belonging: A Journey of Love, captures the harrowing moments inside AIIMS in New Delhi as the tragedy unfolded
Rajiv Gandhi was sworn in as India’s youngest Prime Minister later that evening at the age of 40. Sonia Gandhi’s memoir reveals the profound emotional strain the decision placed on their marriage. File image/ANI
In a poignant revelation from her autobiography, former Congress President Sonia Gandhi has detailed the intense personal anguish and fear she experienced on October 31, 1984, following the assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. The upcoming memoir, titled Belonging: A Journey of Love, captures the harrowing moments inside the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi as the tragedy unfolded.
As senior political leaders pressed Rajiv Gandhi to immediately take the oath of office as Prime Minister, Sonia Gandhi begged him not to accept the leadership role, fearing the deadly toll political life was exacting on their family.
A Terrifying Warning at the Hospital
Recalling the desperate conversation in a quiet corridor at AIIMS, Sonia Gandhi writes that she gripped her husband and implored him to step away from politics. Having already witnessed the sudden loss of Sanjay Gandhi in a plane crash four years earlier and now the brutal assassination of Indira Gandhi, her instinct was to protect her young family.
“They will kill you, too,” she begged, urging him to refuse the prime ministership. Despite her overwhelming dread and tears, Rajiv Gandhi remained steadfast, telling her gently that he had a duty to fulfil and that he had no choice but to step forward for the country during its hour of crisis.
Duty Over Personal Fear
Rajiv Gandhi was sworn in as India’s youngest Prime Minister later that evening at the age of 40. The memoir reveals the profound emotional strain the decision placed on their marriage, as Sonia Gandhi struggled to reconcile her personal fears with her husband’s unyielding sense of public obligation.
At A Glance
Sonia Gandhi details the intense personal fear she experienced on October 31, 1984, following the assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
Sonia Gandhi begged Rajiv Gandhi not to accept the prime ministership at AIIMS, warning him that he would also be killed.
Rajiv Gandhi was sworn in as India’s youngest Prime Minister at the age of 40 on the evening of October 31, 1984.
Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated seven years later by an LTTE suicide bomber on May 21, 1991, in Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu.
Her tragic prediction eventually came to pass seven years later, when Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated by an LTTE suicide bomber in Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu, on May 21, 1991, during a national election campaign.
A Human Story Behind Political Power
The account offers a rare, deeply intimate look at India’s most prominent political dynasty during a pivotal moment in modern history. By highlighting the human vulnerability behind massive historical events, the excerpt provides compelling context to Sonia Gandhi’s eventual entry into active politics years later.
Her autobiography balances these intense national events with lighter personal anecdotes from her life, painting a comprehensive portrait of her transition from an Italian-born student to a key figure in Indian political history.
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Ask News18Following Indira Gandhi’s assassination on October 31, 1984, Sonia Gandhi begged her husband Rajiv Gandhi not to accept the prime ministership, fearing for his safety and warning him that “They will kill you, too.”
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Pathikrit Sen Gupta is a Senior Associate Editor with News18.com and likes to cut a long story short. He writes sporadically on Politics, Sports, Global Affairs, Space, Entertainment, And Food. He tra…Read More
November 08, 2026, 04:02 IST
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