Nair is of Indian origin and was educated at Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) and Raffles Junior College before graduating from the Trinity College of the University of Cambridge in 2002 with a Bachelor of Arts degree (later promoted to Master of Arts by seniority) under the Jardine Foundation Scholarship, where he read law.

3 individual speaker at the 2002 World Universities Debating Championship in Toronto, Canada.

He then joined the law firm Allen & Gledhill in 2005, where he worked in the Dispute Resolution Department.

Within Parliament, Nair has served as a member of the Government Parliamentary Committees for Trade & Industry and Finance, Law and Home Affairs, and Communications and Information.

He was then appointed Chairperson of Defence and Foreign Affairs Government Parliamentary Committee (GPC) in the 14th Parliament of Singapore.