Raisa Kydyrbaeva was born on November 30, 1930, in Frunze. In 1952, she graduated with honors from the Faculty of Philology of the Kyrgyz State University. Then, from 1953 to 1956, she studied in the graduate school of the A.M. Gorky Institute of World Literature, where in 1956 she defended her candidate dissertation in the field of philological sciences. In 1983, she defended her doctoral dissertation, and in 1997 she was awarded the title of professor. In 1989, Kydyrbaeva was elected a corresponding member of the National Academy of Sciences of the Kyrgyz Republic.
From 1986 to 2025, she held various positions at the Ch. Aitmatov Institute of Literature, including head of the "Manas" department, as well as leading and chief research fellow.
In her work "Tradition and Individuality in the Epic of 'Manas'," Raisa Zaitovna explored the poetics of the epic, analyzing it not only within the framework of individual plots but also in a broader spatial-temporal context.
Among her significant scientific works are studies such as "Ideological and Artistic Features of the Epic 'Sarinji Böky'," "Poetic Traditions of the Epic 'Janyl Myrza'," "Performing Mastery of Manaschi," "Variants of the Epic 'Manas'," "Epochs, Generations, and Manaschi," and many others. In total, Raisa Zaitovna is the author of 16 scientific monographs and over 200 articles and studies.
In 1988, she also participated as a scientific consultant for the documentary film by M. Ubukeev "The Great Manaschi."
Kydyrbaeva was an outstanding scholar who had a significant impact on the development of Kyrgyz folklore, Manas studies, and literary studies. Under her guidance, 22 candidates and 4 doctors of sciences were trained, and the scientific school she founded gained recognition not only in Kyrgyzstan but also beyond its borders.
In 1998, for her active participation in the creation of the "Encyclopedia of 'Manas'," Raisa Zaitovna was awarded the State Prize of the Kyrgyz Republic in the field of science and technology.
She actively participated in the development of both state and international programs, including the preparation of a nomination file for the inclusion of the art of Kyrgyz akyns in the UNESCO list of intangible cultural heritage. She also made a significant contribution to the development and adoption of legislation related to the epic trilogy "Manas. Semetei. Seitak," as well as to the formation of the scientific and cultural policy of the country.
For many years, Kydyrbaeva was an active participant in the scientific community of folklorists, serving as a member of the dissertation council for awarding academic degrees in the fields of "Folklore" and "Literary Studies."
"Her rich scientific legacy, outstanding human qualities, and contribution to the development of national science will forever remain in the memory of the Kyrgyz people. We express our deep condolences to the family, friends, and colleagues of the deceased, sharing with them the bitterness of loss," reads the obituary signed by A. Kasymaliev, A. Koichiev, E. Baisalov, and others.
