Rai (surname)

Rai is a surname that has been in use since historical times in South Asia. Etymologically, the name is derived from rāya, a term found in Shauraseni Prakrit, which itself is originates from the Sanskrit term rājan. Rai is a linguistic doublet of the Hindi word rājā; both terms share the same meaning, referring to a king or ruler.

People

• A. N. Rai (born 1955), Indian academic administrator
• Aanand L. Rai (born 1971), Indian film director and producer
• Aaron Rai (born 1995), English golfer
• Ade Rai (born 1970), Indonesian bodybuilder
• Agansing Rai (1920–2000), Nepali recipient of the Victoria Cross
• Aishwarya Rai (born 1973), Indian actress and former Miss World
• Ajay Rai, Indian politician
• Ajeet Rai (born 1999), New Zealand tennis player
• Alisha Rai (author), American writer
• Alka Rai, Indian politician
• Amit Rai, Indian film director
• Amrit Rai (–1996), Indian writer
• Anand Rai (born 1977), Indian activist
• Asish Rai (born 1999), Indian footballer
• Atul Rai (born 1982), Indian politician
• Babbal Rai (born 1985), Indian Punjab singer
• Baleshwar Rai, Indian politician, former Indian Administrative Service officer
• Bali Rai (born 1971), English young-adult fiction novelist
• Béchara Boutros Raï (born 1940), Maronite Catholic Patriarch of Antioch
• Bina Rai (1931–2009), Indian actress
• Brij Mangal Rai (1914–1998), Indian freedom fighter and politician
• Daroga Prasad Rai (1922–1981), Indian politician
• Dayahang Rai (born 1979), Nepali actor
• Dipak Rai, Nepali footballer
• Gauri Shankar Rai (1924–1991), Indian politician
• Gopal Rai (born 1975), Indian politician
• Gulshan Rai (1924–2004), Indian film producer and distributor
• Guru Har Rai (1630–1661), Sikh guru
• Harivansh Rai Bachchan (1907–2003), Awadhi Poet
• Haqiqat Rai, Sikh martyr
• Himanshu Rai (1892–1940), Indian film pioneer
• I Gusti Ngurah Rai, National Hero of Indonesia
• Indra Bahadur Rai (1927–2018), Indian writer
• Jharkhande Rai (died 1984), Indian politician
• Jitendra Kumar Rai (born 1978), Cabinet Minister Bihar
• Kalpana Rai (1950–2008), Indian actress
• Kalpnath Rai (1941–1999), Indian politician
• Kayyar Kinhanna Rai (1915–2015), Indian writer in Kannada and activist
• Krishnanand Rai (1956–2005), Indian politician
• Kuber Nath Rai (1933–1996), Indian writer
• Kusum Rai (born 1968), Indian politician
• Lakshmi Rai (born 1989), Indian actress
• Lala Lajpat Rai (1865–1928), Indian author, freedom fighter and politician
• Lalit Rai (born 1956), Indian Army officer
• Mangla Rai (1916–1976), Indian professional wrestler
• Manikala Rai (born 1988), Nepali ultra runner
• Melina Rai, Nepali singer
• Mira Rai (born 1988), Nepali trail and sky runner
• Mona Rai (), Chief Minister of Gour Kingdom
• Mridu Rai, Indian historian
• Mukrand Rai (), Mughal governor
• Muthappa Rai (died 2020), Indian businessman, philanthropist and social activist
• Nandini Rai, Indian actress
• Nityanand Rai (born 1966), Indian politician
• Pamela Rai (born 1966), Canadian swimmer
• Prakash Rai (born 1965), Indian actor, director, producer and politician
• Pramila Rai (born 1963), Nepali politician
• Raghu Rai (born 1942), Indian photojournalist
• Rajiv Rai (born 1955), Indian film director and screenwriter
• Baba Ram Rai (1645–1687), Sikh founder of Ramraiya
• Rai Hau-min, President of the Judicial Yuan
• Ram Bahadur Rai (born 1946), Indian journalist
• Ramanna Rai (1930–2008), Indian politician
• Ramanath Rai (born 1952), Indian politician
• Ramdeo Rai (1943–2020), Indian politician
• Ramveer Rai (born 1987), Emirati cricketer
• Randeep Rai (born 1993), Indian actor
• Sabin Rai, Nepali singer
• Sara Rai (born 1956), Indian writer
• Sarita Rai, Indian politician
• Shivpujan Rai (1913–1942), Indian independence activist and politician
• Suyyash Rai (born 1989), Indian actor and singer
• Tarundeep Rai (born 1984), Indian archer
• Upendra Rai (born 1982), Indian journalist
• Vinay Rai (born 1979), Indian actor
• Vinit Rai (born 1997), Indian footballer
• Vinod Rai (born 1948), former Comptroller and Auditor General of India
• Viveki Rai (1924–2016), Indian Hindi-language writer

See also

• Rai (disambiguation)
• Roi (disambiguation)
• Ray (surname)
• Roi (given name)
• Roy, a variant
• Raja
• Rai (title)

References