Raisa Kydyrbaeva. Photo by the National Academy of Sciences of the Kyrgyz Republic.
On January 10, after a prolonged illness, Raisa Zaitovna Kydyrbaeva passed away at the age of 96, having played a significant role in the development of Manas studies and folklore. She was a corresponding member of the National Academy of Sciences of the Kyrgyz Republic, a Doctor of Philological Sciences, and a professor. The press service of the Cabinet of Ministers published an obituary in her honor.
Raisa Kydyrbaeva was born on November 30, 1930, in Frunze. In 1952, she graduated with honors from the Faculty of Philology of Kyrgyz State University. From 1953 to 1956, she studied in the graduate program at the A. M. Gorky Institute of World Literature, defending her candidate dissertation in 1956. In 1983, she defended her doctoral dissertation, and in 1997 she was awarded the title of professor, while in 1989 she was elected a corresponding member of the National Academy of Sciences of the Kyrgyz Republic.
From 1986 to 2025, Raisa Kydyrbaeva worked at the Chingiz Aitmatov Institute of Literature of the National Academy of Sciences of the Kyrgyz Republic, where she headed the "Manas" department and held the positions of leading and chief research fellow.
In 1988, she served as a scientific consultant for the documentary film "The Great Manaschi," created by Melis Ubukeev.
Under her guidance, 22 candidates of sciences and 4 doctors of sciences defended their dissertations, and the scientific school she founded was widely recognized both in Kyrgyzstan and beyond.
In 1998, Raisa Kydyrbaeva was awarded the State Prize of the Kyrgyz Republic in the field of science and technology for her contribution to the preparation of the "Encyclopedia of 'Manas'." She actively participated in the development of state and international programs, as well as in preparing the dossier for the inclusion of the art of Kyrgyz akyns in the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO, and in shaping legislation and scientific-cultural policy related to the epic trilogy "Manas. Semetey. Seytek."
For many years, Raisa Zaitovna actively participated in the life of the scientific community, being a member of dissertation councils in folklore and literary studies. Her contribution and legacy to the development of science will forever remain in the memory of the Kyrgyz people.
