Kunal Nayyar
Kunal Nayyar (/kʊˈnɑːl ˈnaɪ.ər/,[1] kuu-NAHL NY-ər; born 30 April 1981) is a British-born Indian actor.[2] He gained recognition with his portrayal of the character Raj Koothrappali on the CBS sitcom The Big Bang Theory (2007–2019), and voiced Vijay on the Nickelodeon animated sitcom Sanjay and Craig (2013–2016). He was nominated for Best Supporting Actor at the 2021 British Academy Television Awards for his role in Criminal: UK.
Kunal Nayyar
Early life[edit]
Nayyar was born on 30 April 1981 in Hammersmith, London, to a family of Indian Punjabi immigrants.[6] When he was three years old, his family returned to India and he grew up in New Delhi, where his parents live.[7][8][9] He attended St. Columba's School, where he played badminton for the school team.[10][11]
In 1999, Nayyar moved to the United States to pursue a Bachelor of Business Administration in finance from the University of Portland in Oregon.[12] He started taking acting classes and appeared in several school plays while working on his degree.[9]
After participating in the American College Theater Festival, Nayyar decided to become an actor. He then attended Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where he received a Master of Fine Arts in acting.[13]
Personal life[edit]
In December 2011, Nayyar married Neha Kapur, a model and Femina Miss India 2006.[24] According to the University of Portland, Nayyar and his wife have given scholarships for UP students in Performing & Fine Arts and paid for guest artists at the university.[25]