Female Engineering Students

by Hla Min

Updated : May 2025

Brief History

• Before 1958, there were no female engineering students. The first female student Ms. S Begum studied Architecture, but she left for India before graduation.
• In the early 1960’s, there were a handful of female engineering students. In 1961, five female students graduated : Tin Tin Ohn (T61, GBNF), Julie Han (T61, GBNF), Yin Yin Kyi (T61, moved to Australia), Mi Mi Lay (T61) and Pauline Reynolds (ChE61, moved to Thailand).

• In November 1964, there were about 100. Several stayed at G-Hall (which was formerly assigned to young sayas.)
• Thazin Hall became the second hostel for female students.
• In the past few years, part of the A – E Block now houses young female students. It was a topic for Ko Myint Pe’s cartoon.

Nan Khin Nwe

She is from the 83 Intake. Since the schools were closed for three years, she graduated in 1992. Many alumni lost three years of their precious lives.

She volunteered as a Fund Raiser for SPZP-2012 and SPZP-2016. She then became a major Fund Raiser for
(a) RITAA (including YTU Library Modernization)
(b) SDYF
(c) Intake of 83 (including provision of equipment and medicine for cancer patients)

She helped with the selection for Scholarships awarded by NorCal RITAA. In the group photo she stood in the back row along with the seven young recipients. To her surprise and delight, Nan Khin Nwe was mistaken by some viewers as a young YTU student.

She compiled Kabyars and some prose for the Second G-Hall Thu Reunion.

G-Hall Thu Reunions

The first G-Hall Reunion was held on 28th January 2018.  The backdrops were provided by Khin Maung Kyi and the photos were taken by Eric Foo. 

The second G-Hall Reunion was held on 24th November 2018. There was lots of food and fun. Posters displayed short stories and poems written by G-Hall Thu’s and their admirers.

Second G-Hall Thu Reunion

• The Second G-Hall Thu Reunion is not only for G-Hall Thu but friends and admirers.
• In response to Nan Khin Nwe’s request, several G-Hall Thu and some admirers submitted poems and short stories to be displayed (and possibly distributed as mementos) at the Reunion.
• Despite the jokes and cartoons about “Pone Ma Lar Yoke Soe Gyan Daw Myo”, many G-Hall residents are “Madee Chaw”.
• Over a dozen — including a couple of males — have composed poems about G-Hall. Some prefer to ink their feelings as prose.

Khine Khine Win

Young RIT alumni in Singapore (including Khine Khine Win) are trying their best to help their alma mater.

Many alumni feel sad about the decline of the Education System in Myanmar and about the attempt by the Adhamma regime to destroy the Swel Daw Bins and the indomitable RIT (Swel Daw Yeik) Spirit.

Our alma mater may not rank high in the academic world, but the tradition and culture (e.g. SPZPs, paying back the metta and cetana of the mentors) remain.

Vedana stands for feeling. There are pleasant feelings, unpleasant feelings, and not-pleasant & not-unpleasant (probably neutral) feelings.

U San Lin (Maung Lu Pay, M87)

U San Lin (Maung Lu Pay, M87) has consolidated the postings by Nan Khin Nwe and me.

Editor’s Notes :

RIT has produced Ah Nu Pyinnya Shins in general, and Laureate Poets (such as Tekkatho Moe War, Maung Sein Win [Padeegone]) in particular.

We appreciate the excellent Kabyars from the G-Hall Thu Myar. They can be displayed as wall posters, flyers and may be even booklets at the forthcoming G-Hall Reunion.

G-Hall Thu

G => Gorgeous girls (at their prime)
–
H => Highly intelligent and creative (decades after graduation)
A => Ambitious, articulate
L => Lively rebuttals to the jokers and cartoonists
L => Love me dearly OR “Beware, our T-square”

T => Talented poets
H => Home of the Belles
U => Union of five Balas : Kaya, Nyana, Bawga, Meikta, Caritta

Tazaungdaing

Thanks to sayas and alumni for sharing the photos from the G-Hall Tazaungdaing.