Nandana Sen was born on August 19, 1967, in Kolkata, India. She is the daughter of Nobel laureate Amartya Sen and renowned author Nabanita Dev Sen. Nandana spent her early years in New Delhi and London before moving to Kolkata after her parents' separation. She completed her schooling in Kolkata and later pursued higher education at Harvard University, where she earned a degree in English Literature and Creative Writing, followed by a Master's degree from the University of Cambridge. Nandana is known not only for her acting career but also as an author and child rights advocate. She is currently married to John Makinson, a prominent figure in the publishing industry, since June 22, 2013.