Katoch was born in 1915 in Srinagar to Janak Singh, an officer of the Jammu and Kashmir State Forces, later a prime minister of Jammu and Kashmir. He did his military training at the Indian Military Academy, Dehradun, to complete the course in 1936. After commissioning he was attached to the 1st battalion, East Surrey Regiment for a year. He was posted to the 6th battalion Frontier Force Rifles on 10 August 1937. On 19 April 1942 he was attached to the 10th battalion Frontier Force Rifles and by October 1942 held the rank of Lieutenant, war substantive Captain and temporary Major. He fought in World War II, commanding the Dogra Company of 6th battalion Frontier Force Rifles. The battalion served in Italy and fought in the Battle of Monte Cassino. When the Pathan company got severely mauled, the Dogra company cleared many of the machine gun nests. Katoch awarded the Military Cross. Katoch became a Lieutenant Colonel in the British Indian Army at the age of 31.
After General Henry Lawrence Scott, the Chief of Staff of Kashmir State Forces decided to relinquish his post in September 1947, the Maharaja requested the Government of India for the secondment of an officer to head the State Forces. Kashmir Singh Katoch, then a Colonel, was chosen for the job. However, Katoch felt that he was too junior to serve as the Chief of Staff and advised the Maharaja to appoint a senior officer like Brigadier Rajinder Singh. Katoch was then appointed as a 'military adviser' to the Maharaja. However, Brigadier Rajinder Singh was killed in action within the first few days of the Pakistani tribal invasion, With the accession of the State to the Indian Union on 26–27 October 1947, the State Forces came under the command of the Indian Army. Colonel Katoch officiated as the commanding officer of the State Forces.
Indian Army
On 18 November 1950, still only 35 years old, Katoch was promoted acting brigadier and given command of a brigade. He was promoted to colonel on 1 September 1955, and to brigadier on 1 September 1958. He was promoted to major-general on 1 September 1960, and was appointed Chairman, Permanent Joint Planning Committee on 4 February 1963. He was promoted to acting lieutenant-general on 1 May 1963 and appointed the Adjutant General of the Indian Army, with promotion to the substantive rank on 23 November. He subsequently commanded the XV Corps in the Kashmir Valley. It was the main force that fought against Pakistan's Operation Gibraltar during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965.
