If broadcast journalist Rani Singh’s biography of Sonia Gandhi is much sought after at the moment, it’s not only because of readers’ interest in the subject but also due to the authors painstaking work in rendering the story. Rani Singh has put her journalistic skills to good use in accessing information and weaving an interesting narrative, which captures not only the life story of Sonia Gandhi so far, but also lends it a perspective it in the larger frame of the times we live in. Excerpts from an interview with FE’s Rajiv Tikoo:
It seems you did not have access to Sonia Gandhi or her children while writing the book. How difficult was it accessing information from the familys relatives and friends?
I was able to gather a great deal of information. Through extensive research and interviews with Sonia and Rajiv Gandhis friends, government and party colleagues, panelists from both the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation and the National Advisory Council, as well as political foes, I was able to to construct for the reader, I hope, a very strong understanding of Mrs Gandhis character, both private and professional. I would have needed to collect this information even if interviews with my subject had taken place. I found that my broadcasting experience as an interviewer really helped and if I was courageous and persistent enough to ask the right questions I was given informative answers; sometimes surprising, sometimes moving. I really had to push myself to do this. In the final analysis I have, I hope you will agree, been able to piece together a well rounded picture of Mrs Gandhi, based entirely on my findings.
What has been the reaction of Sonia Gandhi to the book, if any?
Pan Macmillan brought the India launch date forward to be as close as possible to the UK launch due to a high level of interest in the work, so books are just becoming available now. I am not aware if Mrs Gandhi has read the book, but I have endeavoured to portray her as accurately as possible, using the research and over a hundred interviews.
Did you face any direct or indirect pressure to keep anything out because the publication of English translation of an earlier book The Red Sari was stopped under the threat of legal action?
Not at all. A couple of years ago Palgrave Macmillan came up with a brand new project of their own which has no link in any way, shape or form with anything other than their own rigorous editorial and legal publishing house standards. The only pressure or challenge for us arose from the fact that I had collected so much interesting material, it was difficult to decide what to leave out and let go of, since we had to adhere to a word count and a fixed amount of space in the book.
If you were to write a sequel to the book, what would you like to write on?
Well, a great deal has happened since the final proof was put to bed, this story is so fast moving! The next chapters are unfolding in front of our eyes!
How would you sum up the book?
My book tells the story of destiny thrusting Sonia Gandhi into tremendously difficult situations, and I focused on her responses to lifes challenges, rather than the unfolding of Indias political developments, about which so much has already been written. Her journey is the most transformational one made by any world leader over the past few decades, and it could be seen as inspirational for many people, women in particular.
Source: The Financial Express
Published on 23 October 2011