THE EVOLUTION of Sonia Gandhi to a
leader of stature is phenomenal. In this backdrop, this book becomes both topical and
fascinating. The biography in 15
chapters begins with Sonia's marriage to Rajiv Gandhi in 1968.
The first chapter is a flashback of the tragic event of Rajiv's death in Sriperumbudur on May 21, 1991. The second deals with the party's search for a
leader which ended with the former Prime Minister, P.V. Narasimha Rao only after Sonia declined to lead the party.
Subsequent chapters deal with her induction into Indira Gandhi's family, differences with Menaka Gandhi, removal of Sitaram Kesari from the party as president and her unhappiness over delay in the probe of Rajiv's assassination. Her speech in the U.N. conference in 2001 on AIDS was a landmark.
There is an epilogue after 2004 Ugadi, which explains the euphoria created with the formal entry of Rahul into politics. The book, which narrates a lot of unknown anecdotes, fulfils a felt-need as little is known about this leader and the translation is competent.