Kailash Nath Katju was a prominent politician of India. He was the Governor of Orissa and West Bengal and the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh. 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.

Born on 17th June, 1887, Kailash Nath Katju read in the Jaora School up till March, 1900. Jaora was the capital of an Indian State of that name, a small backward place, not much touched at that time by modern civilization. He was the first of his family to enter an English school. His father was employed as a Personal Assistant to the Minister. Kailash Nath Katju graduated from the Forman Christian College in March, 1905. His father proposed that he should go to Allahabad for legal education. He joined the Muir Central College at Allahabad in July, 1905 and became a member of the Hindu Hostel and remained there for nearly two years. In September 1907 he passed the L.L.B. Examination of the Allahabad University, standing second in the province. In 1908 he secured his degree of Master of Arts in History from the Allahabad University before commencing his practice. Kailash Nath Katju returned to Jaora and was looking for a job in some Indian State. He started his career in the legal profession at Kanpur in 1908. Six years later, in 1914 he shifted to Allahabad. As a legal luminary, he had little bias for politics in his early days. He actively joined politics and accepted the portfolio of Law & Justice in the Pant Ministry in U. P. After the outbreak of the Second World War, he courted imprisonment for taking part in passive resistance. He was released in 1943 and he rejoined his legal profession. Four years later, he once again joined the Pant Cabinet.Subsequently he became the Governor of Orissa and then of West Bengal. He went to New Delhi as Minister of Home, Law & State Affairs. For sometime he also took over the Defence portfolio. Thereafter he was saddled with the reponsibility of the Chief Ministerŏs post in Madhya Pradesh for sometime. After his retirement from this post, he returned to Allahabad to pass his life in peace. He died in February 1968.

Dr. Katju was a man of broad outlook, but rigid principles. He had deep sympathy for the weak and the downtrodden. He undoubtedly was one of the leaders of the Allahabad Bar.