Took United Airlines from San Francisco International airport
Flight was delayed for more than two hours because the computer system was down
Our plane was diverted to Syracuse airport in New York to refuel and to wait there until Newark (New Jersey) airport — which had experienced traffic congestion — could handle the incoming flights
Ivan Lee (M69) was aware of the flight delay. He picked us up at the airport.
He would be our host & trip coordinator.
Selected events from the trip are described below.
July 10
On the road to NYC
Ivan took us — Sayagyi Dr. Aung Gyi, Daw Emma, my spouse & me— on a New York tour.
We felt like “honored guests” because New York City was lined up with fans — young and old — of the US women’s soccer team which won the World Championship for the third time.
July 11
NJ GatheringSix 69ers & Two Sayas
Ivan hosted a gathering in honor of Sayagyi Dr. Aung Gyi and Saya U Soe Paing (EE, UCC).
Ivan had hosted the RIT-UCC gathering for several years.
Attendees include Richard Than Se (ChE62, classmate of U Soe Paing), Fred Thegyi (M69), U Tun Aung Gyaw (EC69), Daw Saw Yu Tint (Alice, T69), U Toung (Tom, EC69), U Sein Myint (EC76, UCC), Daw Sao Mon Sint (Cindy, UCC), U Mya Aung (UCC), U Soe Myint (UCC) and Ivan’s relatives (who displayed their culinary skills).
There were six 69ers at the gathering.
July 13 (Windsor)
Windsor Breakfast
Sayagyi U Aung Khin was delighted to see his former students — Ivan Lee & Fred Thetgyi — drive a long way to pay respect to him.
Ivan provided his Mercedes & gas for the trip.
Fred drove most of the way to let Ivan have a light load. Fred also took photos of the trip.
Sayagyi allowed my spouse & I to spend the night at his guest room.
Sayagyi prepared “pe kyaw ပဲကြော်” and “mohinga မုန့်ဟင်းခါး” for breakfast the next morning for the four of us. He also gave mementos.
July 14 & 15 (Napean)
NapeanThousand Islsnds
Sayagyi Dr. Aung Gyi hosted his former students for two days.
Showed us around Toronto
Took us to the Thousand Islands
July 16 & 17 (Massachusetts)
Despite being busy working on two projects, U Tun Aung Gyaw took two days off to host his former classmates.
Took us to MIT and Harvard.
It has become a tradition to touch the “shining” shoe of Harvard’s statue (and make a wish).
Fred touched with one hand and made a wish on behalf of his grand kid.
MIT
Ivan touched with both hands saying he needed to make a wish on behalf of his six grand children.
Dinner
July 18 & 19 (Connecticut)
U Toung (Tom) and Daw Khin Myint (Kim) were our hosts for the Connecticut leg of our trip.
A photo was taken by Fred in front of one of the 30+ libraries at Yale University.
Another photo was taken by a waitress (who has a “FRED” tattoo on her arm in honor of her father) at Table (10) of Frank Pepe’s pizza. Photos of the then young Bill Clinton, who frequented the pizza place, can be seen on the wall. She checked Fred’s ID & agreed to have a picture together.
YalePizza
Miscellaneous
On the way to Windsor, we stopped to see Niagara Falls from the Canadian side. On a previous trip, I had seen Niagara Falls from the US side. Many say that the view from the Canadian side is better.
Niagara
The speed limit in Canada was lower than that of US. Ivan’s GPS had some hiccup inside Canada. We ended up late arriving at Sayagyi’s U Aung Khin house.
We just drove around Toronto on our way to Sayagyi Dr. Aung Gyi’s house. We prefer to be early than late.
U TAG lives in Shrewbury about 50 miles from Boston. He was working on multiple projects.
Tom lives in Trumbull, Connecticut. He is retired. He spends time in Hong Kong with his son & grandchild.
As a side trip, Fred took us to Pennsylvania & Maryland. He lives in Philadelphia. We visited Liberty Bell & selected places. U Thein Han is my sole remaining uncle. He lives in Maryland.
Ivan had two PEs (from New Jersey and New York). He owns some real estate. He loves to cook. He plays accordion and harmonica. He is a Life time Gold member of US Bridge Association. He is a Golden Sponsor of SPZP-2000 and SPZP-2007. He is a major donor to the 69er Health Care Fund.
Update
Sayagyi Dr. Aung Gyi passed away peacefully in sleep recently.
I really do like reading your profile of past alumni. It is inspiring as well as very informative. I would like to suggest that you make it a regular feature, maybe in the future. I know you guys are really busy now and do admire for the time and energy you can give to the cause. You all have done a very good job and have my sincere best wishes. Thank you again to all of you.
I’m in awe of many alumni with PhDs and so on. However, I earned my doctorate a very long time ago. In fact, I believe I’m the only one who first got a doctorate before the first degree. I’ll let you in on the secret. It was back in the late 60’s when I was dating Sanda (daughter of the late Saya U Kyaw Tun). Although I was never in Sayagyi’s class, when he was lecturing, he would tell his class that he has two daughters and that he would only marry them off to someone whom has a Ph.D. From then on, whenever we were together and walking along the corridors, someone would say, “here comes Dr. Tin Aung Win”.
As I am leaving Sydney with my wife Sanda (Dorothy) on the 9th of October, 2000, I’m going to miss your countdown series. However, I have printed out most of them, which will enable me to read on the long flight to SF. I’ll be spending time in some countries before I hit SF on the 27th of Oct, and for the mega reunion on the 28th.
Cheers Tin Aung Win
Comments
Sayagyi is a saya of our sayas (including U Sein Hlaing and U Tin Swe).
His elder daughter Elizabeth was my primary school friend. She received her Ph.D. in English in 1994 and worked at Indiana University and/or Purdue University.
Due to time & resource constraints, only a fraction of the materials could be described in the book “History of University Engineering Education in Burma/Myanmar”
CD Supplement
U Ohn Khine (M70) and I compiled references, articles in English and photos that were not covered in the book into a CD.
We attempted to cover as much historical data and articles as possible.
Materials for non-Burmese readers
Part 1 of the HMEE book was translated by U Ohn Khine (M 70). Saya Des Rodgers corrected the contextual and usage errors.
Part 2 is not a complete translation of the Burmese text. To avoid duplication of some materials (e.g. lengthy tables), we have chosen to present a summary & overview.
Archives from the SPZPs: SPZP-2000 (San Francisco), SPZP-2002, SPZP-2007 and SPZP-2010 (Singapore), and SPZP-2004 (Yangon)
Photo Albums
From ex-RIT web sites, RIT Alumni Facebook Pages, Sayagyi U Ba Than, Saya U Soe Paing and U Myo Myint (EC67)
History of the Engineering Departments
By Dr. Aung Gyi (Rector), U Min Wun (C), U Aung Khin (M), U Soe Khaw (Min), U Thit (Met), U Myo Myint Sein (A)
Selected Posts
Excerpts from “RIT Alumni International Newsletter Updates” from 1999 – 2012 by U Hla Min (EC 69)
Interviews
Saya U Tin U, Saya U Ba Than and Saya U Khin Aung Kyi gave interviews for HMEE-2012 project.
Proofreaders
Saya U Soe Paing, U Ohn Khine and I proof read HMEE-2012 and provided corrections (e.g. RIT Luyechun list did not contain 1965), but they was not enough time to do all the corrections.
HMEE projects
Saya U Aung Hla Tun is the leader for HMEE-2012 and HMEE-2018 Projects.
HMEE-2018 will cover revisions and extensions to HMEE-2012.
Due to the pandemic and Saya’s demise, HMEE-2018 is in limbo.
Per Dr. Yan Naing Lwin, Dr. Htin Aung accompanied Prime Minister U Nu to Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) in 1954
Vice Chancellor, RU
After retirement, Dr. Htin Aung became Ambassador to Ceylon. Per U Tin Htoon, Dr. Htin Aung greeted the RUBC team and also provided transportation to visit Kandy.
Per Dr. Thane Oke Kyaw Myint, his Ba Dwe was recalled back to Burma by the Foreign Office. One day, the then Number One asked Saya what he was doing in Burma and that he did not ask the Foreign Office to recall him. Saya went to UK to continue his research and writing.
Old alumni may have studied Saya’s books such as “Thirty Burmese Tales” and “Burmese Drama”
Saya is a scholar, a prolific writer, a historian and a folklorist
Saya’s siblings —ICS U Tin Tut; Dean of Law U Kyaw Myint; Chief Justice U Myint Thein; Kyauksar expert Daw Khin Mya Mu; Khit San poet Daw Khin Saw Mu; English lecturer Daw Tin Saw Mu
Feedback from Dr. Thane Oke Kyaw Myint
[Ba Dwe] Dr Htin Aung did not get an ambassador post. He was Called a Minister (current title is Minister Counselor) and the office in Ceylon was under the Embassy in New Dehli.
Sometime later, on one occasion, Ne Win said, “Where is Saya Htin Aung?” Thi Han immediately called Dr Htin Aung to come back.
Ba Dwe could not find out why. It took nearly six months to see Ne Win. On meeting Ne Win, Ne Win asked why he had come back. Ba Dwe explained about being called back and that he could not go back as another person had been sent. Ne Win told him he did not call back [from Ceylon]. He was thinking of his teacher and was just asking where was. Wasn’t it like Shwe Pyin Nyi Naung?
He asked Ba Dwe what he could do for him. Ba Dwe asked to leave Burma for Oxford. He left to be Fellow of St Anthony’s College.
The other dignitaries to be awarded honorary degrees were Prince Souphanouvong of Cambodia and Emperor Haile Salasie of Ethiopia together with my father in 1958.
I had a photo of my father receiving the honorary LLD which he never used from PM U Ba Swe.
His friend Sayama Daw Swe Swe Than asked U Soe Than to tutor her sister Daw Wai Wai Than. The rest is history.
U Mra Tun
Mra is a Rakkhine spelling for Mya
Mathematics major
Joined UCC as an applications programmer
There were some difficulties in finding a suitable university for Mra in the UK. He received an offer from the University of Belfast, but there was violence notably in connection with IRA (Irish Republican Army). He ended up migrating to the USA.
He owns a set of equipment (Lead Guitar, Rhythm Guitar, Bass Guitar, Drums, Audio) to form a band.
He was leader of TAMPS band (formed with the initials of the members): Tin Aung, Austin Xavier, Mra Tun, Pierpont Morgan and Sidney Sann Aung.
In the USA, he often jams with the local music bands.
He and Ricky Zaw (brother of Daw Nyunt Nyunt Zaw (T68)) performed a duet at the BASES Annual Dinner in Los Angeles.
He worked as an independent consultant and as a contractor for IBM. Most of his projects are related to COBOL.
U Kyaw Nyein (GBNF)
Kyaw Nyein
Taught Numeral Methods at the UCC courses
Studied in the UK
He was athletic and played Football and Volleyball
He had a kidney problem
His “Ah Nar Dei” attitude (to use the health fund provided by former colleagues) led to his demise.
U Aung Hlaing
He is known as Japan Sayagyi. His wife worked for Foreign Ministry and was assigned to Japan. He accompanied her and worked as a COBOL programmer.
Saya U Soe Paing met him during his training (sponsored by Japan International Cooperating Agency and implemented by Fujitsu and other Japanese computer companies). Saya asked him if he would like to join UCC upon his return to Burma.
He became one of the COBOL teachers
He later moved to Australia
U Soe Thein (GBNF)
Also known as Joe Thein
He had a disability, but that did not prevent him to have a good life and career. He completed training from ICL including COBOL programming.
He joined UCC as an “off-line” operator
He transferred to the Application Division
He became one of the COBOL teachers
Transfers
Some Operations Division staff transferred to other divisions (e.g. Scientific Applications Division) and/or Teaching. They include U Myint Swe and U Soe Myint (GBNF).
Some transferred from other Government departments to UCC. They include U Win Myint (SLR) and U Tin Win.
Several student volunteers joined UCC after completing their M.Sc. and DAC courses. They include U Win Naing (GBNF), Daw Tin May Lwin and Daw Thin Thin Aung.
Upon graduation, U Aye Win Kyaw joined the Civil Engineering Department at RIT with his classmates Madan Chand (GBNF) and U Aung (Maung Aw).
Veda
EC member at Burma Astro Research Bureau (BARB).
Taught Astronomy and Astrology at BARB & MARB.
Post-retirement
After retirement, he lived in Pyin Oo Lwin.
He had medical treatment at a clinic.
His son visited him at the clinic. He passed away unexpectedly (due to electrical leakage) in the shower room.
Saya pleaded for “safety at the medical facilities”.
He also passed away — a Double Tragedy for the family.
GBNF list for the Class of 70
Dear Friends,
Got sad news from Ko Aung (C70) that Aye Win Kyaw (C70) passed away last night at Pyin Oo Lwin. GBNF list now is 94.
With Metta Ohn Khine (M70)
Condolences
Sayagyi Dr. Aung Gyi wrote : I am sad to learn that Aye Win Kyaw has passed away. I met him in Pyin Oo Lwin the last time I visited Myanmar in 2015-16. He seemed to be in good health at that time. Quite a few people told me that he was a good astrologer. I remember him as a nice and quiet person. May he pass into a better life. I send my deep condolences to his family.
Saya Madan Chand (C70) wrote : Very sad day for me and Saya Aung as we three are very close friends. Studied and worked together In Civil Dept., RIT. Field trip, Special survey assignment, Three R summer 1971 at Monywa district, and so many activities together. May Buddha bless the family. Arranged and signed as witness for the marriage of Ko Aye and Ma Lay.
Nyunt Tin wrote : Very sorry for our C-70 friend U Aye Win Kyaw.
Htay Aung wrote : Very sad to me. I remember we were working together in Nawin Project before he moved to RIT. Convey my sincere condolence to his family.
Update
Madan Chand
Madan Chand was 2nd in C70. He is now GBNF. He passed away in Illinois, USA.
U Aung
U Aung was Joint 3rd in C70. He published some books. He shared some excerpts in “Once upon a time at RIT”. He is currently in Arizona, USA.
