K. Chandru
Former Judge of Madras High Court
In office
31 July 2006 – 08 March 2014
Personal details
Born/Date of Birthday: 8 May 1951
Place of Birth: Srirangam ,Tamilnadu, India

Justice K. Chandru is a former Madras High Court Judge appointed by President Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam to the Madras High Court. Chandru has disposed of 96,000 cases during his tenure as a Judge. Chandru is known for a case which took place in 1993 when he was practising as a lawyer. The 2021 tamil movie, Jai Bhim is made based on true events associated with Chandru's legal battle made in Madras High Court in 1993.

Early life
Chandru was born at Srirangam in Tiruchirappalli District Tamilnadu. He was a former student activist of Communist Party of India (Marxist). He was expelled from Loyola College, Chennai for leading student agitations. He then joined Madras Christian College in his third year of college to finish his under graduate education. After graduation, he did community service and full-time political and party work of CPI(M) till 1988. He later joined the law college in 1973 where he was not given a hostel seat due to him being a student leader, he later got his seat after going for an indefinite fast before the college campus. Chandru then worked at a law firm, Row & Reddy for eight years. He was expelled from the party in 1988 for opposing Indian intervention in the Sri Lankan Civil War since CPI(M) supported it.

He traveled throughout of Tamil Nadu, lived with different people and understood the plurality of the society and culture.

Career
K. Chandru as an advocate practiced both in the criminal and civil side in the Madras High Court. He was made an Additional Judge of the High Court on July 31, 2006, and was made a permanent Judge on November 9, 2009. Justice K. Chandru was a well-respected judge among the judiciary and is known for his judgments that impacted the lives of many impoverished and downtrodden people. During his judicial career, Justice K. Chandru pronounced over 96,000 verdicts. He was known for fighting against caste discrimination and for the rights of backward communities in Tamilnadu. He did not want a security guard and didn't want to be addressed as "My Lord" in courts. He retired as a judge in 2013 and did not accept a farewell.

Chandru retired from the Madras High Court and now lives in Chennai.

In popular culture
The 2021 movie Jai Bhim was made around a legal case fought by K. Chandru in 1993. Chandru was involved in the making of the film from the story discussion to post-production.

Books
Chandru, Justice K. (2021). Listen to My Case!: When Women Approach the Courts of Tamil Nadu. LeftWord Books.