 He is the elder son of Former Member of Rajya Sabha and Former Secretary to Government of India, Radhakant Nayak

During his early years in Orissa, Nayak attended Kendriya Vidyalaya (Central School) in Bhubaneswar, a Government of India sponsored school for the children of public service officials.He is among a few notable alumni of the school.He later studied Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics in Buxi Jagabandhu Bidyadhar College (BJB College, Utkal University, Orissa) before moving to Delhi where he attended Hindu College (University of Delhi), earning a degree in Sociology (BA Honours) and Economics in 1989.