The Kirat Rai are one of the indigenous peoples of the eastern Himalayas, with a strong presence in Nepal—especially the hills and districts east of the Kathmandu Valley—as well as among diaspora communities in India and beyond.
Historically associated with the wider Kirat heritage, Rai communities are known for rich oral traditions, distinct clans and lineages, and a diversity of mother tongues that belong to the Tibeto-Burman language family. Each variety reflects its own sounds, kinship terms, and ways of naming the landscape and seasons.
Today, many Kirat Rai people live multilingual lives—using ancestral languages at home, Nepali or other languages in education and work, and keeping cultural life alive through festivals, music, and community organisations. Supporting language and culture often means recording speech, teaching young people, and making learning materials accessible in both oral and written form.