Rai people

Rai people

Regions with significant populations
Nepal Darjeeling Kalimpong , Sikkim And North East India
Languages
Kiranti Nepali
Religion
Kiranti Mundhum Folk Hinduism

Mankhim (temple) of Khambu (Rai) at Aritar, Sikkim, India

The Rai people are indigenous ethnolinguistic groups of the Indian subcontinent, what is now modern-day Nepal and present-day India, mainly in the Indian states of Sikkim and West Bengal (predominantly Darjeeling Hills). They were Rai meaning king (rai means king in old Khas Kura (Nepali). The Rai people are the descendant of the ancient Kirata Kingdom.

Notable Rai people

• Aishwarya Rai, Indian actress
• Agansing Rai, recipient of 13th Victoria Cross
• Amar Singh Rai Indian Politician from Darjeeling
• Ashok Rai, Nepali politician and Senior leader of Socialist Party
• Asit Rai, writer and novelist
• Bal Bahadur Rai, senior cabinet minister, acted as Prime Minister; senior leader of Nepali Congress Party
• Byakul Maila, lyricist of current Nepalese National Anthem, Sayaun Thunga Phulka
• Chandra Das Rai, Pro democracy leader from Sikkim and Journalist
• Dayahang Rai, actor, director, play writer and founder of 'Mandala Theatre'
• Deo Prakash Rai Indian Politician.
• Dil Maya Rai, National Assembly of Bhutan
• Jai Bir Rai , National Assembly of Bhutan
• Hari Prasad Gorkha Rai, writer
• Indra Bahadur Rai, writer and literary critic
• Jitu Rai, Indian shooter
• Lain Singh Bangdel, former Chancellor of the Royal Nepal Academy
• Lakshmi Rai, Indian Actrees
• Lalit Rai, Indian Kargil War
• Mira Rai, athlete and trail runner
• Narad Muni Thulung, senior cabinet minister, acted as Prime Minister of Nepal
• Pawan Kumar Chamling, fifth chief minister of the Indian state of Sikkim, founder of the Sikkim Democratic Front party
• Prem Das Rai, Indian politician from Sikkim
• Rajan Mukarung, writer and activist
• Rajesh Payal Rai, singer and music composer
• Ram Prasad Rai, revolutionary fighter against Rana autocracy
• Sabin Rai, pop singer from Dharan
• Santa Bahadur Rai, Secretary & Chairman Public Service Commission
• Sarita Rai, Indian Politician from West Bengal
• Sher Dhan Rai, Chief Minister, province no 1
• Shiba Kumar Rai, scientist, Professor of medical microbiology and ex-member of National Planning Commission of the government of Nepal
• Shiva Kumar Rai, Nepali writer and Indian politician from Darjeeling
• Shrawan Mukarung, poet
• Suk Bahadur Rai, awarded Aung San Thuriya in 1950
• Tarundeep Rai, Indian Olympiad archer
• Tek Bahadur Rai, politician from Bhutan, Member of the National Assembly of Bhutan
• Wilson Bikram Rai, comedian, actor

See also

• Kirat
• Kirat Mundum
• Sakela
• Kirat Rai Yayokkha, social organization for the Kirat Rai

External links

• Related Indigenous nepali people (नेपालको जनजाति सम्बन्धित)
• Kirat Rai Yayokkha Nepal
• United Kirat Rai Organization of America
• Portal of the Kirati community
• Nepal Federation of Indigenous Nationalities (NEFIN)
• Academic Research Project on Rai Culture by the University of Vienna, Austria http://www.kiratraibagdogra.org/ https://www.mundhumstar.com/2019/04/19/7681/ http://kiratrai.org/