Actor Navya Nair fondly remembered ISRO scientist, cultural icon and Soorya Festival founder Soorya Krishnamoorthy, who passed away on Wednesday. Speaking to reporters, Navya spoke about the role he played in her career as a dancer and her years-long affiliation with him. "I had the opportunity to perform in Soorya Festival consecutively for the last five years," the actor said before adding that he helped connect with her dance guru Priyadarshini Govind.

She added that dancers such as her had much respect for Soorya Krishnamoorthy and that she had a loving relationship with him. "We were all wondering how we would come and dance at Ganesham theatre in his absence," Navya Nair shared. She also described him as "a very active person" before sharing her wish that the government would support the festival he founded. "It was his biggest desire to see the festival do well always," the actor said.

Elsewhere, speaking to ANI about her mentor, Navya Nair shared, "He was like a mentor to me. I feel so blessed to have lived my life in the era where Soorya Krishnamoorthy was there because I don't think that there could be anybody else who can replace him."

It is worth noting that Krishnamoorthy worked at the Indian Space Research Organisation in the role of a scientist after former president and ISRO scientist APJ Abdul Kalam chose him for the role. He found his arts and cultural festival back in 1977, and it would go on to become one of the longest such events in the world. Several artists, including Navya Nair, earned name and fame thanks to their participation in the festival.

On the work front, Navya was last seen in 2025's Paathirathri and will next appear in Visitor, alongside Urvashi and Dhyan Sreenivasan.