‘We fell in love with him’: Sonia Gandhi reveals heartbreaking loss of first son
Rajiv and Sonia Gandhi's untold heartbreak over their first child's passing
Dubai: Sonia Gandhi has shared one of the most painful chapters of her personal life, recalling how she and former Indian prime minister Rajiv Gandhi lost their first son just hours after his premature birth in January 1969.
In her newly released memoir, Belonging: A Journey of Love, the Congress leader describes the heartbreak that followed the baby's arrival, the family's grief, and how Rajiv Gandhi broke down in tears despite his reserved upbringing.
The tragedy unfolded on January 18, 1969, when Sonia went into labour two months before her due date and delivered a baby boy prematurely. Although the newborn initially appeared healthy, doctors had warned the couple that his chances of survival were uncertain.
Sonia recalls hearing her baby's first cry as he was placed in an incubator. Rajiv later took her to see their newborn son.
"I heard the baby's first cry as he was placed in the incubator. Later Rajiv took me to see him, a tiny, perfectly formed boy, with thick, black hair and long, slim fingers," she writes.
"We fell in love with him immediately," she adds.
The baby survived only a few hours. The following morning, the couple received the devastating news.
"No, it was not possible! Why, why," Sonia recalls asking as the couple struggled to come to terms with their loss.
She writes that Rajiv, despite what she describes as his 'stiff upper lip' upbringing, broke down and cried alongside her.
Indira Gandhi, who was away on an official tour, also cut short her visit and rushed back to the hospital after hearing what had happened.
"She embraced us, her eyes red and swollen," Sonia writes, recalling how her mother-in-law sat with the grieving couple before returning to her official responsibilities.
The family then faced the difficult decision of how to lay the baby to rest. Sonia writes that she was horrified when the possibility of following traditional practices involving consigning the newborn's body to a river was discussed.
"No matter what, I'm not going to allow our baby to be thrown into the river," she recalls saying.
The family eventually decided to bury the child at Feroze Gandhi's farm in Mehrauli, south Delhi. Rajiv and his younger brother Sanjay Gandhi conducted the burial beneath a pink bougainvillea bush.
Sonia writes that the family continued to remember the baby, often placing flowers at the burial spot whenever they visited.
The loss also left her struggling with grief and guilt for months. She further recalls being deeply hurt by a vicious attack from a right-wing publication questioning the legitimacy of the child.
"The venom of those words scarred my heart. How could people be so cruel?" she writes.
Later in 1969, Sonia became pregnant again, although the earlier tragedy had left the family anxious. The pregnancy resulted in the birth of Rahul Gandhi on June 19, 1970.
The memoir offers a rare glimpse into the personal lives of Sonia and Rajiv Gandhi, revealing a family tragedy that remained largely outside the public spotlight for decades.
