Kailash Nath Katju
Encyclopedia
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.
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.
in Allahabad High Court in 1933 and later the military officers accused at the INA trial at Red Fort in Delhi. On July 17, 1937, he became the Minister of Law and Justice and Parliamentary Affairs of the United Provinces
in the Govind Ballabh Pant
's cabinet. The ministry resigned on November 2, 1939 and soon he was imprisoned for 18 months. He was again imprisoned in 1942. He also served in the Constituent Assembly of India.
Following the independence of India, he held many high political positions. Initially he was the Governor of Orissa
from August 15, 1947 to June 20, 1948. He became the Governor of West Bengal
on June 21, 1948 and was in office till October 31, 1951. In 1951 he was elected to the Lok Sabha
from the 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 Home Minister. In 1955 he was made the Defence Minister. He became the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh
on January 31, 1957, remaining in office till March 11, 1962. He retired from politics in 1963.
He also wrote many articles and delivered many memorable speeches, including the following:
and became its President in the eighties. His granddaughter, Professor Manjari Katju (Kailash Nath Katju's great-granddaughter) of the Hyderabad Central University's political science department has written a book"VISHWA HINDU PARISHAD AND INDIAN POLITICS " which has become an authoritative academic reading piece on the on the VHP.
Amongst his grandsons, Justice Markandey Katju
is the Chairman, Press Council of India
. He was formerly a Judge of the Supreme Court of India. He was also the Chief Justice of the Madras, Delhi and Allahbad High Courts. Two of his grandsons, Vivek Katju and Aditya Narayan Dhairyasheel Haksar, joined the Foreign Services of India. Vivek Katju retired as the Secretary (West), Ministry of External Affairs in 2011. He formerly served as India's Ambassador to several countries. Aditya N. D. Haksar also had a distinguished career in the Foreign Services, serving as Indian high commissioner to Kenya and the Seychelles, minister to the United States, and ambassador to Portugal and Yugoslavia.
Amongst his granddaughters, Dr Aparna Dar, is an Asst. Professor of Mathematics at IIT Kanpur, one of India's premier Engineering schools and Dr Tilottama Tharoor is a Professor of humanities at NYU. The latter was Sashi Tharoor
's first wife.
Jaora
Jaora is a city and a municipality in Ratlam district in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. Jaora is located in the Malwa region, between Ratlam and Neemuch. It was the capital of the princely state of Jaora before independence...
- February 17, 1968) was a prominent politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
of India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. He was the Governor of Orissa
Orissa
Orissa , officially Odisha since Nov 2011, is a state of India, located on the east coast of India, by the Bay of Bengal. It is the modern name of the ancient nation of Kalinga, which was invaded by the Maurya Emperor Ashoka in 261 BC. The modern state of Orissa was established on 1 April...
and West Bengal
West Bengal
West Bengal is a state in the eastern region of India and is the nation's fourth-most populous. It is also the seventh-most populous sub-national entity in the world, with over 91 million inhabitants. A major agricultural producer, West Bengal is the sixth-largest contributor to India's GDP...
, the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh , often called the Heart of India, is a state in central India. Its capital is Bhopal and Indore is the largest city....
, 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
INA trials
The INA trials or the Red Fort Trials refer to the courts martial of a number of officers of the Indian National Army between November 1945 and May 1946 variously for treason, torture, murder and abetment to murder....
. 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 KashmiriKashmiri Pandit
The Kashmiri Pandits are a Hindu Brahmin community originating from Kashmir, a mountainous region in South Asia.-Background:The Hindu caste system of the region was influenced by the influx of Buddhism from the time of Asoka, around the third century BCE, and a consequence of this was that the...
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
Allahabad
Allahabad , or Settled by God in Persian, is a major city of India and is one of the main holy cities of Hinduism. It was renamed by the Mughals from the ancient name of Prayaga , and is by some accounts the second-oldest city in India. It is located in the north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh,...
. In September, 1907 he passed his L.L.B. Examination from the Allahabad University
Allahabad University
Allahabad University , is a premier Central University located in Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh, India. Its origins lie in the Muir Central College, named after Lt...
, 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 CaseMeerut Conspiracy Case
Meerut Conspiracy Case was a controversial court case, in which several trade unionists, including three Englishmen were arrested for organizing Indian-rail strike, this immediately caught attention back home in England, inspired the 1932 play titled Meerut, by Manchester street theatre group, the...
in Allahabad High Court in 1933 and later the military officers accused at the INA trial at Red Fort in Delhi. On July 17, 1937, he became the Minister of Law and Justice and Parliamentary Affairs of the United Provinces
United Provinces of Agra and Oudh
The United Provinces of Agra and Oudh was a province of India under the British Raj, which existed from 1902 to 1947; the official name was shortened by the Government of India Act 1935 to United Provinces, by which the province had been commonly known, and by which name it was also a province of...
in the Govind Ballabh Pant
Govind Ballabh Pant
Bharat Ratna Pandit Govind Ballabh Pant was a statesman of India, an Indian independence activist, and one of the foremost political leaders from Uttarakhand and of the movement to establish Hindi as the official language of India.-Early life:Govind Ballabh Pant was born on September 10, 1887 in...
's cabinet. The ministry resigned on November 2, 1939 and soon he was imprisoned for 18 months. He was again imprisoned in 1942. He also served in the Constituent Assembly of India.
Following the independence of India, he held many high political positions. Initially he was the Governor of Orissa
Orissa
Orissa , officially Odisha since Nov 2011, is a state of India, located on the east coast of India, by the Bay of Bengal. It is the modern name of the ancient nation of Kalinga, which was invaded by the Maurya Emperor Ashoka in 261 BC. The modern state of Orissa was established on 1 April...
from August 15, 1947 to June 20, 1948. He became the Governor of West Bengal
West Bengal
West Bengal is a state in the eastern region of India and is the nation's fourth-most populous. It is also the seventh-most populous sub-national entity in the world, with over 91 million inhabitants. A major agricultural producer, West Bengal is the sixth-largest contributor to India's GDP...
on June 21, 1948 and was in office till October 31, 1951. In 1951 he was elected to the Lok Sabha
Lok Sabha
The Lok Sabha or House of the People is the lower house of the Parliament of India. Members of the Lok Sabha are elected by direct election under universal adult suffrage. As of 2009, there have been fifteen Lok Sabhas elected by the people of India...
from the Mandsaur
Mandsaur (Lok Sabha constituency)
Mandsaur Lok Sabha constituency is one of the 29 Lok Sabha constituencies in Madhya Pradesh state in central India. This constituency covers the entire Mandsaur and Neemuch districts and part of Ratlam district.-Assembly segments:...
constituency, joining the cabinet of Jawaharlal Nehru
Jawaharlal Nehru
Jawaharlal Nehru , often referred to with the epithet of Panditji, was an Indian statesman who became the first Prime Minister of independent India and became noted for his “neutralist” policies in foreign affairs. He was also one of the principal leaders of India’s independence movement in the...
as Law Minister in 1951. In November 1951 he succeeded C. Rajagopalachari
C. Rajagopalachari
Chakravarti Rajagopalachari , informally called Rajaji or C.R., was an Indian lawyer, independence activist, politician, writer and statesman. Rajagopalachari was the last Governor-General of India...
as the country's third Home Minister. In 1955 he was made the Defence Minister. He became the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh , often called the Heart of India, is a state in central India. Its capital is Bhopal and Indore is the largest city....
on January 31, 1957, remaining in office till March 11, 1962. He retired from politics in 1963.
Publications
Dr Kailash Nath Katju wrote many books, some of which are the following:- 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
- Speech delivered on November 27, 1966, On the occasion of the Golden Jubilee of the High Court Building.
Family
Dr Kailash Nath Katju had six children, three sons and three daughters. Many of his descendants continued his tradition of service to the country. His sons Shiva Nath Katju and Bramha Nath Katju were both Judges of the Allahabad High Court. Justice Bramha Nath Katju went on to be the Chief Justice of the Allahabad High Court. Shiva Nath Katju, after his retirement joined the Hindu right wing VHPVishva Hindu Parishad
' , which is usually known more simply as the VHP, is an international Hindu organization, which was founded in India in 1964. Its slogan is "धर्मो रक्षति रक्षितः Dharmo rakṣati rakṣitaḥ", which is supposed to mean "Dharma protects its protector"...
and became its President in the eighties. His granddaughter, Professor Manjari Katju (Kailash Nath Katju's great-granddaughter) of the Hyderabad Central University's political science department has written a book"VISHWA HINDU PARISHAD AND INDIAN POLITICS " which has become an authoritative academic reading piece on the on the VHP.
Amongst his grandsons, Justice Markandey Katju
Markandey Katju
Justice Markandey Katju is the Chairman, Press Council of India. He was formerly a Judge of the Supreme Court of India.-Family / Background:Justice Markandey Katju was born on September 20, 1946 in Lucknow, India. He is of Kashmiri Brahmin descent...
is the Chairman, Press Council of India
Press Council of India
The Press Council Of India is a statutory body in India that governs the conduct of the print media. It is one of the most important bodies that sustain democracy, as it has supreme power in regards to the media to ensure that freedom of speech is maintained. However, it is also empowered to hold...
. He was formerly a Judge of the Supreme Court of India. He was also the Chief Justice of the Madras, Delhi and Allahbad High Courts. Two of his grandsons, Vivek Katju and Aditya Narayan Dhairyasheel Haksar, joined the Foreign Services of India. Vivek Katju retired as the Secretary (West), Ministry of External Affairs in 2011. He formerly served as India's Ambassador to several countries. Aditya N. D. Haksar also had a distinguished career in the Foreign Services, serving as Indian high commissioner to Kenya and the Seychelles, minister to the United States, and ambassador to Portugal and Yugoslavia.
Amongst his granddaughters, Dr Aparna Dar, is an Asst. Professor of Mathematics at IIT Kanpur, one of India's premier Engineering schools and Dr Tilottama Tharoor is a Professor of humanities at NYU. The latter was Sashi Tharoor
Shashi Tharoor
Shashi Tharoor is an Indian politician and a Member of Parliament from the Thiruvananthapuram constituency in Kerala...
's first wife.