Jagdish Tytler

Jagdish Tytler
Jagdish Tytler at Manjeet Bullar Cavalry Gold Cup Polo 2010
Born	(1944-01-11) 11 January 1944 (age 73) Gujranwala, Punjab, British India
Residence	New Delhi
Political party	Indian National Congress

Jagdish Tytler (b. 11 January 1944 as Jagdish Singh Kapoor) is an Indian National Congress politician and former member of the Parliament of India.He is most controversial politician having accused in 1984 Sikh Roits. He was the Minister of State for Overseas Indian Affairs, a position he resigned from after an official commission of inquiry noted the 'balance of probability' indicated he was accused of inciting and leading murderous mobs against the Sikh community in Delhi after Sikh bodyguards assassinated Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi during the 1984 anti-Sikh Genocide, a charge he denies.

Tytler was born as Jagdish Kapoor in Gujranwala, British India, to a Punjabi Hindu father and Sikh mother. He was later brought up by eminent educationist James Douglas Tytler, the founder of many public schools including the Delhi Public School and the Summer Fields School. It is said that upon his influence he converted to Christianity and changed his surname. In 2011, his entry into the Puri's Jagannath Temple (which is reserved only for Hindus), caused a huge controversy in Orissa. Tytler denied having converted to Christianity, and stated that he had changed his name to show his gratitude towards James Douglas Tytler, who had brought him up.

Active in the Congress' youth organisation and a "disciple" of Sanjay Gandhi, he was first elected to the Lok Sabha in 1980. He served as a Union Minister first in the Civil Aviation department and then in the Labor department. He was re-elected in 1991 and served as the Union Minister of State for Surface Transport. In 2004, he was re-elected to the Lok Sabha.

The official report of the Nanavati Commission of the Government of India on the 1984 anti-Sikh riots found 'credible evidence' against Tytler, saying he 'very probably' had a hand in organising the attacks. The Indian government, however, decided not to prosecute Jagdish Tytler due to lack of concrete evidence.