Kunhi Nair studied medicine at the Kasturba Medical College, Mangalore and, after qualifying, came to England to specialise in surgery. He did registrar posts at Harefield, and the National Heart Hospital before being appointed senior registrar at Guy's Hospital. He was appointed consultant cardiac surgeon at the Humberside Cardiothoracic Centre, Castle Hill Hospital, Hull, in 1974. He published papers on open heart surgery. It is not known when he died.