✦ Celebrity stories, facts and career updates. Explore F4U now →

Home › Biography › K. Chandru

K. Chandru biographyFeatured Biography

Image source: StarsUnfolded

Celebrities

K. Chandru Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated September 29, 2026 • 6 min read

Quick Info

Date of birth8 May 1951

Age70 Years

BirthplaceSrirangam, Tamil Nadu

ProfessionFormer Madras High Court Judge

NationalityIndian

Marital statusMarried

SpouseName Not Known (College Lecturer)

FamilyOne daughter

K. Chandru Biography

K. Chandru is a retired judge of the Madras High Court known for decades of legal work on behalf of marginalized communities in Tamil Nadu. A former CPI(M)

Early life and background

Krishnaswami Chandru was born on 8 May 1951 in Srirangam, Tamil Nadu. He completed his undergraduate studies at Loyola College, Chennai, and finished his law degree in 1973. During his college years he was active in student politics and associated with the Communist Party of India (Marxist). His early activism shaped his perspectives on law and social justice.

Career

After earning his law degree in 1973, Chandru practised as a lawyer in Madras, spending initial years with a legal firm called Row & Reddy. Those formative years included extensive travel across Tamil Nadu, where he observed a range of social conditions and connected with labourers, trade union leaders, and rural communities. He later moved into bar association politics in the state, serving as an executive member of the Advocates Association and becoming one of the youngest members of the Bar Council of Tamil Nadu.

Chandru gained recognition as a senior advocate in 1990 and handled both criminal and civil matters at the Madras High Court. In July 2006 he was appointed an Additional Judge of the Madras High Court, and on 9 November 2009 he became a permanent judge. He served on the bench until his retirement on 8 March 2013.

As a practitioner and judge, Chandru focused heavily on labour, service, education and human rights issues. He became well known for representing and delivering judgments that favoured disadvantaged and marginalized people in Tamil Nadu, and for confronting caste discrimination in his work. A notable judgment from September 2008 upheld a woman’s right to perform temple rituals, with Chandru questioning the logic of excluding women from worship when the presiding deity was a goddess.

During his judicial tenure he disposed of a very large number of cases: he has stated that he cleared roughly 96,000 matters over six and a half years as a judge. He attributed that volume to extending his court hours and streamlining admission matters by deciding some petitions on the briefs rather than lengthy oral hearings.

Public profile

Chandru’s background in Marxist politics informed his legal outlook; he has said Marxist ideas helped him interpret the work of thinkers such as B. R. Ambedkar. Known for personal austerity, he declined a personal bodyguard offered by the state and chose not to accept a formal farewell on retirement. He also discouraged courtroom formalities by instructing lawyers not to address him as "My Lord."

A landmark case he handled as a lawyer in 1993 involved a custodial death and the rights of a tribal family. That case later inspired the 2021 Tamil film Jai Bhim. Chandru participated in the film’s development, contributing to the scripting process from early discussions through post-production.

Writing and other work

Chandru has published books and columns on law. In 2021 he released Listen to My Case!: When Women Approach the Courts of Tamil Nadu, a collection that recounts the experiences of twenty women who sought justice through the courts. His legal writing reflects the themes he pursued in practice: access to justice, equality, and the experiences of the poor and marginalized.

Personal life

Chandru is married; his wife worked as a college lecturer. The couple have one daughter. He has retained ties to his hometown of Srirangam and has described his years of travel and grassroots engagement as among the most productive of his life.

Latest updates

In 2021 the film Jai Bhim, based on a 1993 case Chandru handled, brought renewed attention to that legal battle, and Chandru remarked on recognizing his own mannerisms in the portrayal. He also published a book that year focused on women’s cases in Tamil Nadu courts.

Physical profile

Chandru’s listed height is approximately 167 cm (about 5 feet 6 inches). His eyes are described as black and his hair as grey (henna dyed).
◈

Recent Work

Listen to My Case!: When Women Approach the Courts of Tamil Nadu

A 2021 book by K. Chandru that narrates the stories of twenty women who sought justice in Tamil Nadu courts.

2021
Consultant on the film Jai Bhim

Contributed to scripting and production discussions for the 2021 Tamil legal drama based on a 1993 custodial death case he handled.

2021
✦

Career Highlights

  1. Practised law at the Madras High Court in criminal and civil matters
  2. Made Senior Advocate by the High Court of Tamil Nadu in 1990
  3. Appointed Additional Judge of Madras High Court in July 2006; became permanent judge on 9 November 2009
  4. Known for judgments and advocacy favoring marginalized and backward communities in Tamil Nadu
  5. Handled a 1993 custodial death case that inspired the 2021 film Jai Bhim
?

Frequently Asked Questions

When was K. Chandru born?

8 May 1951

What is K. Chandru known for?

Former Madras High Court Judge

What is K. Chandru’s marital status?

Married

Who is K. Chandru married to?

Name Not Known (College Lecturer)