Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Saturday recalled falling in love with former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, describing him as a good-looking and gentle person whose demeanour immediately caught her attention. In an Instagram video shared ahead of the November 10 launch of her forthcoming memoir, Belonging: A Journey of Love, Sonia Gandhi revisited how the two first met in England and how his gentleness touched her.
"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 in the caption.
In the nearly two-minute video, Sonia Gandhi revisited her early days in Cambridge, where a mutual friend introduced her to Rajiv Gandhi at a Greek restaurant. The book, her first, recounts her memories with Rajiv Gandhi and traces her journey from childhood to the present.
Recalling their first encounter, Sonia Gandhi said she was searching for a restaurant that served food closer to her tastes, particularly Italian cuisine, before discovering the establishment where they met.
"And so, we discovered this place-Varsity Restaurant. It was a Greek restaurant, where many European students, but also Indian students, used to go for their meals. And that is then where I met Rajiv in that very restaurant," the former Congress president said.
She recalled feeling an immediate connection with Rajiv Gandhi. "When I first met him, I felt almost immediately that you know he was someone I would really love to be with. And, of course, I learned that it was the same for him," Sonia said.
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Sonia Gandhi said a common friend introduced them, after which they became friends and began attending social gatherings and exploring places together. "Then, you know, we became friends. Then going to parties with friends or going to see sights or we went to a Valentine's party where there were lots of students.
"He was a very gentle-looking person. Of course, he was very good-looking, but that gentleness came through. So that was something which really touched me and struck me. So of course, I'll never forget when I first met him," she said.
While looking through photographs in the video, Sonia Gandhi again described Rajiv Gandhi as a good-looking and gentle person, recalling the qualities that made their first meeting memorable.
Sonia Gandhi joined Instagram on October 22, sharing a first look at her forthcoming memoir and expressing gratitude to her supporters. On October 24, she also joined X, sharing the video of her meeting Rajiv Gandhi.
Belonging: A Journey of Love is a memoir by Sonia Gandhi that traces her life from her childhood in post-war Italy and her romance with Rajiv Gandhi to her move to India and the personal losses that shaped her life and relationship with her adopted country. The book will be released in India on November 10.
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