S R Nayak was born on 1 st jan 1944 in what is now the Uttara Kannada district Naadumaskeri village into agriculturist and freedom-fighter family.[1] His mother Nagamma Rama Nayak and father Rama Ranga Nayak along with other families from Ankola region were imprisoned by the British Government for participating in the Quit India Movement, a part of the freedom struggle of India.

S R Nayak completed his primary education in his native place and high school in Janata Vidyalaya, Dandeli. He received a B.Sc. degree and a LL.B. degree from Mysore University and LL.M. degree from Bangalore University. Nayak was a part-time lecturer of law from 1975 until he was elevated to the bench. He taught at B.M.S. College of Law, Basavanagudi, Bangalore, and S.L.S.R.C., Havanur College of Law, Bangalore. 

He was elevated to the high court of Karnataka state, India, on 25 February 1994, and subsequently sworn in as judge of the high court of Andhra Pradesh state, India, on 21 March 1994. He was transferred back to Karnataka High Court and was sworn in as a Judge of Karnataka High Court on 2 January 2003. He was the acting chief justice of Karnataka High Court from 20 October 2004 to 19 November 2004.

Nayak assumed charge of the office of chief justice of the high court of Chhattisgarh state, India at Bilaspur on 17 November 2005. He retired on 1 January 2007.

After his retirement as chief justice, Nayak had two politically appointed positions under the Congress rule in Karnataka. Justice Nayak was appointed the first Chairman of the newly formed Karnataka State Human Rights Commission from 2007 to 2012 and chairman of the Law Commission of Karnataka in June 2014 till June 2019.

The Kannada University at Hampi conferred on him the Naadoja award, The Bangalore University conferred on him the honorary doctorate (laws) in May 2009 and Other Awards. 

We lost this rare star of our community on may 18 th 2025