Kailash Rai is a freelance researcher, editor, and mentor whose work focuses on gender justice, social inclusion, women’s rights, sexuality, and the politics of marginalization in Nepal. With more than a decade of experience in research and knowledge production, she works at the intersection of scholarship and advocacy, documenting lived realities and amplifying voices often excluded from mainstream discourse. She is the author of Indigenous Women’s Institutions, Movement, and Writings (2017) and has edited several notable publications, including In Search of Identity, Struggle for Recognition, Experiences of the Grassroots, Elected Indigenous Women Representatives 2079, and the co-edited volume Relay Race for Equality. Her research articles and opinion pieces, centered on gender, feminism, sexuality, and identity politics, have appeared widely in journals, edited volumes, newspapers, and digital platforms. From 2002 to 2014, Rai worked at Martin Chautari, where she contributed extensively to research, writing, editorial initiatives, and public intellectual engagement. She holds an MA in Political Science from Tribhuvan University.

She is also a member of the editorial team at The Commons Nepal, a research-based digital platform dedicated to promoting critical thinking and accessible public scholarship in the social sciences, arts, and humanities. In addition, Rai is a co-founding member of Indigenous Without Borders (IwB), a collective of researchers and civic activists from Indigenous backgrounds working collaboratively to advance Indigenous knowledge, solidarity, and justice. Through her writing, editing, and mentorship, Rai continues to contribute meaningfully to conversations on rights, representation, and social transformation in Nepal.