Kailash Nath Katju

Kailash Nath Katju () (June 17, 1887, Jaora - February 17, 1968) was a prominent politician of India. He was the Governor of Orissa and West Bengal, the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, the Union Law Minister, the Union Home Minister and the Union Defence Minister. He was also one of India's most prominent lawyers. He was part of some of the most riveting cases of his times, including the famous INA trials. Dr Katju joined the freedom struggle against the British rule in India early on and spent several years incarcerated with fellow freedom fighters.

Early life

Kailash Nath Katju's father Pandit Tribhuvan Nath belonged to a Kashmiri Brahmin family settled in the princely state of Jaora (in the present-day Madhya Pradesh). He studied in the Jaora School till March, 1900, when he was sent to Lahore. He passed his matriculation examination from Punjab University in 1901 and passed his B.A. examination from the Christian College, Lahore in March, 1905. In July, 1905 he joined the Muir Central College at Allahabad. In September, 1907 he passed his L.L.B. Examination from the Allahabad University, standing second in the province. In 1908 he passed his Master of Arts examination in History also from the Allahabad University. He started his career in the legal profession at Kanpur in 1908. In 1914 he shifted to Allahabad. In 1919, he took L.L.D. degree.

Political career

He defended the accused in the Meerut Conspiracy Case in Allahabad High Court in 1933 and later the...
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