An abandoned Indian child who became the youngest MP in Switzerland

Niklaus-Samuel Gugger was in India last week to take part in the first PIO-Parliamentarian Conference. He is the youngest Member of Parliament of Switzerland and the first of Indian origin too.

Niklaus-Samuel Gugger was abandoned by his parents at a hospital in Karnataka's Udupi. Source: nikgugger.ch

Coming to India was an emotional moment for Gugger who was given up for adoption by his biological mother in Udupi, Karnataka.

Gugger was adopted by a Swiss couple Fritz and Elizabeth when he was 15-days-old. His parents moved to their native country Switzerland when he was 4.

"My new parents moved to Switzerland where I worked as a truck driver, gardener and mechanic to pay for my higher studies. I had to go through this because my parents were not so rich as to bear the burden of my studies. They gave me food and clothes. They trained me in other things," Gugger told Indian journalists.

Gugger, who is popularly known as Nik, was elected as a councillor in Winterthur city.

"And subsequently, in November 2017, I was elected as a member of Switzerland parliament on the ticket of the Evangelical People's Party – a minority party. I am the first Indian to be elected as an MP in Switzerland's parliament," Gugger said.

Gugger credits his biological mother for his success. He has named his daughter Anasuia after his mother whom he could never track down.

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