Kailash Nath Katju's father Pandit Tribhuvan Nath belonged to a middle class Kashmiri Brahmin family settled in Jaora, a petty state in Malwa. It was here that Kailash Nath was born on 17th June 1887 and brought up till March 1900, when he was sent awayto Lahore to be educayed under the fostering care of his maternal grand parents. He matriculated from the Punjab University in 1901 and took his B.A. degree from Christian College, Lahore, in 1905. It was during his College days that he developed a taste for Mathematics and History. As a boy his ambition was to taketo medicine, but the example of Dr. Gooroodas Banerjee, with whom he came into contact by accident, changed his mind altoghather and he wanted to be an equallyeminent lawyer and jurist.

He came to Allahabad where he received patternal affection from Tej Bahadur Sapru who took a keen interest in his academic progrerss. He joined the Muir Central College in 1905, and in the following year passed the High Court Vakil examination. He topped the list of successful candidates, in recognition for which he was awarded the Lumsdon Gold Medal. In 1907 he passed the L.L.B. examination and six years later, in 1919,he took the coveted degree of LL.D. He was married at the age of 18 while he was a student of Law. He soon came under the orbit of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru and become a close associate of Pandit Jawahar lal Nehru. He also came under the influence of Mahatma Gandhi. He started his career in the legal profession at Kanpur in 1908.

Six years later, in MArch 1914, he shifted to Allahabad. At Allahabad he had to wade his way among the legal luminaries like Pandit Moti Lal Nehru, Durga Charan Banerjee, Satish Chandra Banerjee and others. He defended the accused in the Meerut Conspiracy case in Allahabad High Court in 1933 and later the military officers accused at the INA trial at Red Fort in Delhi. Dr. Katju was interested in education. He was a member of the various bodies of the University of Allahabad. He had a genuine regard for the welfare of the student community and till the end of his life he took delight in maintaining cotacts with them. In 1937, he actively joined plitics and accepted the portfolio of Law and Justice in the Pant Ministry in U.P. The ministry resigned in 1939 and Dr. Katju offered Satyagraha and was imprisoned for 18 monts. After release he continued his political activities and was detained in prison in 1942.

He became the Governor of Orissa and then West Bengal. From West Bengal, where he enjoyed much popularity he went to New Delhi as Minister of Home, Law and State Affairs. After the Home Ministry, he too over the charge of Defence Portfolio. Thereafter he took over as Chief Minister, Madhya Pradesh. After retirement he returned to Allahabad to pass his life in peace. Death claimed him on 17th February 1968. Dr. KAtju undoubtedly was one of the ;eaders of the Allahabad Bar. His deep scholarship and legal acumen fitted him for that noble and coveted role.

The Department of Posts is privileged to issue a stamp on Dr. Kailash Nath Katju in the series "India's Struggle for Freedom".

Source : Information Folder issued by Indian Posts & Telegraph Department, Government of India