PercySpivakovsky at 12:52, 26 March 2026

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{{Short description|3rd Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh}}
{{Use Indian English|date=August 2021}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}}
{{infobox officeholder
| name = Kailash Nath Katju
| image = Kailash Nath Katju.jpg
| caption =
| office1 = 4th [[Minister of Defence (India)|Minister of Defence]]
| term_start1 = 10 January 1955
| term_end1 = 30 January 1957
| primeminister1 = [[Jawaharlal Nehru]]
| predecessor1 = [[Baldev Singh]]
| successor1 = [[V. K. Krishna Menon]]
| office2 = 4th [[Minister of Home Affairs (India)|Minister of Home Affairs]]
| term_start2 = 5 November 1951
| term_end2 = 10 January 1955
| primeminister2 = Jawaharlal Nehru
| predecessor2 = [[C. Rajagopalachari]]
| successor2 = [[Govind Ballabh Pant]]
| order = 3rd
| office = Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh
| term_start = 31 January 1957
| term_end = 11 March 1962
| predecessor = [[Bhagwantrao Mandloi]]
| successor = [[Bhagwantrao Mandloi]]
| order3 = 2nd
| office3 = Governor of West Bengal
| term_start3 = 21 June 1948
| term_end3 = 1 November 1951
| 1blankname3 = Chief Minister
| 1namedata3 = [[Bidhan Chandra Roy]]
| predecessor3 = [[C. Rajagopalachari]]
| successor3 = [[Harendra Coomar Mookerjee]]
| order4 =
| office4 = 1st [[Governor of Odisha|Governor of Orrisa]]
| term_start4 = 15 August 1947
| term_end4 = 20 June 1948
| 1blankname4 = Chief Minister
| 1namedata4 = [[Harekrushna Mahatab]]
| predecessor4 = [[Chandulal Madhavlal Trivedi]]
| successor4 = [[Asaf Ali]]
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{birth date|1887|6|17|df=yes}}
| birth_place = [[Jaora]], [[Jaora State]], [[British Raj|British India]]<br/>{{small|(present-day [[Madhya Pradesh]], India)}}
| death_date = {{death date and age|1968|2|17|1887|6|17|df=yes}}
| death_place = [[Allahabad]], [[Uttar Pradesh]], [[India]]
| party = [[Indian National Congress]]
| nationality = [[India]]n
| spouse = Rup Kishori
| children = 5; including [[Shiva Nath Katju]], [[Brahma Nath Katju]]
| occupation = {{hlist|Lawyer|Politician}}
| alma_mater = Allahabad University
}}
'''Kailash Nath Katju''' (17 June 1887 – 17 February 1968){{citation needed|date=September 2021}} was an Indian politician who served as Governor of [[Orrisa]] and [[West Bengal]], Chief Minister of [[Madhya Pradesh]], Union Home Minister and Union Defence Minister. He was also one of India's most prominent lawyers. He was part of some of the most notable cases of his times, including the [[Indian National Army trials]]. Katju joined the [[Indian independence movement]] early on and spent several years incarcerated with fellow independence activists for his activities.

==Early life==
Kailash Nath Katju was born in the [[princely state]] of [[Jaora State|Jaora]] (in present-day [[Madhya Pradesh]]) on 17 June 1887. His family were [[Kashmiri Pandit]]s who had settled in Jaora. His father Tribhuwan Nath Katju was a former [[dewan]] of the state.<ref name="loksabha">{{cite web|title=Members Bioprofile: Katju, Dr. Kailas Nath|url=http://164.100.47.194/loksabha/writereaddata/biodata_1_12/784.htm|website=Lok Sabha|access-date=28 February 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180228174518/http://164.100.47.194/loksabha/writereaddata/biodata_1_12/784.htm|archive-date=28 February 2018}}</ref><ref name="death">{{cite news|title=K. N. Katju passes away|agency=Press Trust of India|newspaper=The Indian Express|date=18 February 1968|page=7}}</ref> Kailash Nath was educated at the Barr High School in Jaora, when he was sent to [[Lahore]] to study at the [[Rang Mahal School]]. He passed his matriculation examination from [[Panjab University]] the following year before completing his graduation from [[Forman Christian College]], Lahore, in March 1905.<ref name="Reed">{{cite book|last1=Reed|first1=Stanley|author-link1=Stanley Reed (British politician)|title=The Indian And Pakistan Year Book And Who's Who 1950|date=1950|publisher=[[The Times Group|Bennett Coleman and Co. Ltd.]]|page=[https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.15206/page/n732 698]|url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.15206|access-date=20 February 2018}}</ref> In July that year, he joined the [[Muir Central College]] in [[Allahabad]]. In September 1907, he received a [[Bachelor of Laws|degree in laws]] from the [[Allahabad University]], standing second in the province. In 1908, he received a [[master's degree]] in history from the same university. He began legal profession that year in [[Kanpur]] before moving to Allahabad in 1914.<ref name="loksabha"/> He completed his [[Doctor of Law|doctorate in law]] ([[LL.D.]]) from Allahabad University in 1919, joining the [[Allahabad High Court]] as an advocate in 1921.<ref name="Reed"/>

==Career==
Katju defended the accused in the [[Meerut Conspiracy Case]] in Allahabad High Court in 1933 and later the military officers accused at the [[Indian National Army trials]] at the [[Red Fort]] in Delhi. On 17 July 1937, he became the Minister of Law and Justice and Parliamentary Affairs of the [[United Provinces of Agra and Oudh|United Provinces]] in the [[Govind Ballabh Pant]]'s cabinet. He was elected to the legislature from the constituency of Allahabad district (Doaba).<ref>{{cite book|last1=Reed|first1=Stanley|title=The Indian Year Book 1940–41|date=1941|publisher=[[The Times Group|Bennett Coleman and Co. Ltd.]]|page=[https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.108681/page/n180 132]|url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.108681|access-date=28 February 2018}}</ref> The ministry resigned on 2 November 1939 and soon Katju was imprisoned for 18 months. He was again imprisoned in 1942. He also served in the [[Constituent Assembly of India]]. Between 1935 and 1937, he served as the chairman of the [[Allahabad Municipal Corporation|Allahabad Municipal Board]], and later as chancellor of Prayag Mahila Vidyapith, Allahabad.<ref name="Reed"/>

Following the independence of India, Katju held many high political positions. Initially he was made the [[Governor of Orissa]] from 15 August 1947 to 20 June 1948. He became the [[Governor of West Bengal]] on 21 June 1948 and was in office till 31 October 1951. In 1951 he was elected to the [[Lok Sabha]] from the [[Mandsaur (Lok Sabha constituency)|Mandsaur]] constituency, joining the cabinet of [[Jawaharlal Nehru]] as Law Minister in 1951. In November 1951 he succeeded [[C. Rajagopalachari]] as the country's third [[Minister of Home Affairs (India)|Home Minister]]. In 1955 he was made the [[Minister of Defence (India)|Defence Minister]]. He became the Chief Minister of [[Madhya Pradesh]] on 31 January 1957, remaining in office till 11 March 1962. He also held the portfolios for general administration, home, publicity, planning and development, co-ordination and anti-corruption.<ref>{{cite book|title=India: A Reference Annual 1960|date=1960|publisher=[[Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (India)|Ministry of Information and Broadcasting]]|page=[https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.100488/page/n445 419]|url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.100488|access-date=28 February 2018}}</ref>

==Personal life==
Katju and his wife Rup Kishori had five children together: three sons and two daughters.<ref name="Reed"/><ref name="loksabha"/> The eldest son, [[Shiva Nath Katju]], served as a judge at the [[Allahabad High Court]], and after retirement, took up politics and was elected a member of the [[Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly|Uttar Pradesh legislature]]. Another son, [[Brahma Nath Katju]], rose to serve as chief justice of the same [[Allahabad High Court]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Hon'ble Mr. Brahma Nath Katju|url=http://www.allahabadhighcourt.in/Judges/ex-judges/BNKatju.htm|publisher=allahabadhighcourt.in|access-date=28 February 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071007155628/http://www.allahabadhighcourt.in/Judges/ex-judges/BNKatju.htm|archive-date=7 October 2007}}</ref>

One of his daughters was Saroj Mukherjee. Katju's grandsons have also achieved distinction. His grandson [[Markandey Katju|Markandey]] (son of Shiv Nath) served as a judge in the [[Supreme Court of India]]. Another grandson is Vivek Katju, [[Indian Foreign Service|IFS]], a retired diplomat who served in several sensitive positions. Tilottama Mukherji, a professor at [[New York University]] and first wife of politician and former diplomat [[Shashi Tharoor]], is Katju's grand-daughter (daughter's daughter).

Katju had recovered from a [[kidney ailment]] he had suffered in the summer of 1967. After his condition deteriorated in early February 1968, he died at 7:55 p.m. ([[Indian Standard Time|IST]]) on 17 February 1968 at his residence in [[Allahabad]].<ref name="death"/> The last rites were performed by son Shiva Nath on the bank of [[the Ganges]] the following day.<ref>{{cite news|title=Katju cremated|agency=Press Trust of India|newspaper=The Indian Express|date=19 February 1968|page=9}}</ref>

==Publications==
Dr Kailash Nath Katju wrote many books, some of which are the following:{{citation needed|date=September 2021}}:
* Experiments in Advocacy: A Colossus in the Courts of Justice
* The days I remember
* Reminiscences and experiments in advocacy

He also wrote many articles and delivered many memorable speeches, including the following:
* Some Judges and Lawyers whom I knew<ref>[http://www.dadinani.com/capture-memories/read-contributions/life-back-then/180-judges-and-lawyers-i-knew-by-kn-katju Some Judges and Lawyers Whom I Knew by K N Katju] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181210202626/http://www.dadinani.com/capture-memories/read-contributions/life-back-then/180-judges-and-lawyers-i-knew-by-kn-katju |date=10 December 2018 }}. Dadinani.com. Retrieved on 10 December 2018.</ref>
* Speech delivered on 27 November 1966, on the occasion of the Golden Jubilee of the High Court Building.<ref>[http://www.allahabadhighcourt.in/event/Speech_by_Dr_Kailas_Nath_Katju27-11-66.html Speech By Dr. Kailas Nath Katju]. Formerly Governor of Orissa and West Bengal, Union Minister for Home Affairs and Defence, and Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, Delivered on 27 November 1966, On the occasion of the Golden Jubilee of the High Court Building. allahabadhighcourt.in</ref>

===Founder of National Herald===
{{Further|National Herald Case}}

He was one of the founders of Associated Journals Ltd. and one of the seven original subscribers of the Memorandum of Association of the company which published [[The National Herald (India)|National Herald]] and two other newspapers.<ref>[https://www.msn.com/en-in/news/national/ajl-did-not-inform-us-or-obtain-approval-for-equity-transfer-say-shareholders/ar-AAgj3oz?li=AAggbRN AJL did not inform us or obtain approval for equity transfer, say shareholders] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181210154723/http://www.msn.com/en-in/news/national/ajl-did-not-inform-us-or-obtain-approval-for-equity-transfer-say-shareholders/ar-AAgj3oz?li=AAggbRN |date=10 December 2018 }}. Msn.com (30 September 2008). Retrieved on 2018-12-10.</ref> His shares were taken over by a company formed and closely held by Sonia Gandhi and her son Rahul Gandhi and two others in 2012. There is a legal case of criminal conspiracy in this regard against them in a court of law in Delhi.

==References==
<references/>

==External links==
* [http://kanhaiyalalmisra.wordpress.com/2008/06/08/dr-kailash-nath-katju-a-tribute/ Dr Kailash Nath Katju- A Tribute, Delivered by Pt. Kanhaiya Lal Misra (the then Advocate General, Uttar Pradesh), on 19 February 1968 at the Full Court reference in the Chief Justice’s Court Room on the sad demise of Dr. K.N. Katju]
* [http://www.allahabadhighcourt.in/event/Dr_Kailas_Nath_Katju_PN_Sapru.html Pen Portraits- Dr. Kailas Nath Katju, by MR. JUSTICE P. N. SAPRU]

{{Governors of West Bengal}}
{{Defence Ministers of India}}
{{Home Ministry (India)}}
{{Chief Ministers of Madhya Pradesh}}
{{Indian National Army}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Katju, Kailash Nath}}
[[Category:1887 births]]
[[Category:1968 deaths]]
[[Category:Indian National Army trials]]
[[Category:Kashmiri people]]
[[Category:Indian National Congress politicians from Madhya Pradesh]]
[[Category:Chief ministers of Madhya Pradesh]]
[[Category:University of Allahabad alumni]]
[[Category:Governors of Odisha]]
[[Category:Governors of West Bengal]]
[[Category:Members of the Constituent Assembly of India]]
[[Category:India MPs 1952–1957]]
[[Category:Madhya Pradesh MLAs 1957–1962]]
[[Category:Indian independence activists from Madhya Pradesh]]
[[Category:Lok Sabha members from Madhya Bharat]]
[[Category:Ministers of internal affairs of India]]
[[Category:Ministers of defence of India]]
[[Category:Law ministers of India]]
[[Category:Members of the Cabinet of India]]
[[Category:People from Jaora]]
[[Category:Chief ministers from Indian National Congress]]
[[Category:Prisoners and detainees of British India]]

Kailash Nath Katju - Revision history

PercySpivakovsky at 12:52, 26 March 2026