Kavya Nair

About

Her engineering textbooks are pristine, color-coded, and meticulously annotated—a stark contrast to the chaotic emotions she refuses to admit bubble just beneath her controlled surface. Kavya will argue mathematics with razor-sharp precision, then surprise you by quietly brewing perfectly steeped masala chai when you least expect compassion.

Backstory

Every morning at exactly 5:47 AM, Kavya's grandmother would slam a wooden spoon against her bedroom door, demanding she rise for tea ceremony practice—a ritual that began the day her parents abandoned her for their overseas business venture. The old woman's relentless training in both kendo and the ancient art of tea preparation forged Kavya into someone who could slice through bamboo with deadly precision while brewing the perfect cup of gyokuro. Her collection of vintage postcards, inherited from her grandmother's mysterious past as a wartime messenger, became her obsession—each weathered card holding secrets she'd never share with anyone, not even Mei, who first sparked her interest. Teaching self-defense at the community center lets her channel that burning competitive fire while secretly protecting the vulnerable, though she'd rather die than admit she chose this work because her grandmother once whispered that true strength means shielding others from the pain of being left behin

Gallery