Rowing — Memories

by Hla Min

Updated : June 2025

(1) Independence Day Regatta in 1948

When Rangoon University reopened in 1946, three siblings — Dr. Pe Nyun (Dick), Dr. Pe Thein (Tom) and their elder sister — attended RU along with U Tin U.

RUBC Fours

Pe Nyun, Pe Thein, Khin Maung Wint / Bobby Tin (son of Architect U Tin) and Tin U represented Rangoon University Boat Club at the 1948 Independence Day Regatta at Kandawgyi and became RUBC Gold.

Dr. Pe Nyun

• Secretary and later Captain of RUBC.
• Chief Pediatric Surgeon at Rangoon Children Hospital.
• Leader of the team that operated on conjoined twins (Ma Nan Soe & Ma Nan San).
• Moved to Canada.
• He is now GBNF.
• His family established an award in his memory.

Dr. Pe Thein

• Professor
• (Later) Minister of Health & Education.
• He is now GBNF.
• Spouse : Professor Dr. Kyu Kyu Swe.

U Tin U

• Oldest & Most Senior Past Captain of RUBC
• Past Captain of Rangoon Golf Club.
• Received BSCE from University of Oregon and MSCE from Yale University.
• Taught part-time at Civil Engineering
• Worked for private companies
• Advisor at PWD.
• Spouse : Dr. Khin Kyi Nyunt is a Nutritionist researcher. She passed away in November 2019.

(2) U Maung Maung Than Tun

• He was the oldest Past Captain alive.
• He is now GBNF.
• He and his younger son Aung Khine form the First Father & Son at RUBC to be Captain & Gold.
• His older son Hla Maw Tun is Past Secretary & Gold. He is VP of OMA.

(3) Father & Son

U Sein Htoon

• Graduated with B.Sc.(Engg) in 1963.
• Past Captain & Gold of RUBC.
• Cox of the RUBC team that won the Willingdon Trophy for Coxed Fours at the ARAE (Amateur Rowing Association of the East) Regatta in Colombo, Ceylon in 1960.
• Past President of the Burma Rowing Federation.

U Zeyar Linn

• Graduated with B.E (Mech) in 2001.
• RUBC Captain/Gold (1996)

Record

U Sein Htoon & U Zeyar Linn have the honor to be the Second Father-Son pair of RUBC Captain and Gold.

(4) RUBC Captains

RUBC was founded in 1923. U Ba Tun served as the first Captain.

A group photo of the RUBC Captains were taken in 1963-64.

• Tha Htin (1931-32)
• Tun Thoung (1932-33)
• Aye Maung (1935-36)
• Khin Maung Bo (1939-40)
• C. H. Chan (1940-41)
• Kyaw Thein (1947-48)
• Tin U (1948-49)
• W. Ohn Pe ( 1950-51)
• Chan Tha (1952-53)
• Mg Mg Than Tun (1953-54)
• Myo Tint (1955-56)
• Tin Htut (1956-57)
• Harry Saing (1957-58) — absentee
• Than Nyun (1958-59)
• Tin Htoon (1959-60)
• Han Tin (1960-61)
• Tin Wa (1961-62) — absentee
• Sein Htoon (1962-63)
• Thaung Lwin (1963-64)

(5) RUBC Magazine Committee

40th Anniversary

• Sithu U Tin (President)
• U Po Zon (Vice President)
• U Tin Htoon (Past Captain; ARAE Champion in 1958 & 1960)

90th Anniversary

• U Tin Htoon (Chair)
• U Myo Myint (Vice Chair)
• U Htaik San (Secretary)
• U Hla Min (Contributing Editor) : wrote Prelude to each section; contributed three articles

(6) RUBC Crew in 1954

(7) Coxed Eights

• In 1956, Sir Arthur Eggar (Life President) attended the Annual Regatta. He posed with the RUBC crew that won the President’s Challenge Cup for Inter-Club Coxed Eights

• Lazarus (Soviet Lecturer) was Timing Stroke of the Engineering crew that won the Inter-Faculty Coxed Eights trophy. Ohn Hlaing (Elmo), Kyaw Lwin (George) and Tin Aung (Victor) are now GBNF.

(8) RUBC Regatta

• Attended the Regatta for 95th Anniversary in 2018

• U Tin Htoon and U Tun Aung (George) represented the Old Members from overseas at the RUBC Centennial Celebrations in 2023.

(9) Boat Club in late 1960s

• RIT 69ers visited Inya Lake and RUBC
• Chit Po Po, Win Naing (Dicky) and Sein Tun are RUBC members.
• Win Naing (Dicky), Yi Pinn (Maung Maung Kaung), Nay Win, Chit Po Po & Khin Maung Gyi are now GBNF.

(10) RASU Rowing in 1967

• Saya Micky (U Thein Aung, RUBC Gold) managed the RASU Rowing teams.
• Nyan Taw (Dicky, RUBC Gold) & crew mates are seen with the trophies

(11) Reunions

Wedding

Date : December 12, 2017.

Host : U Maung Maung Than Tun and family

Event: Wedding of U MMTT’s grand daughter (daughter of U Hla Maw Tun, Past Secretary)

Attendees include U Tun Shein (Willy, RUBC Gold), Dr. Than Nyunt (George, Past Captain & Gold), U Tin Htoon (A60, Past Captain & Gold).

Lunch Gathering

U Tun Shein (Willie, RUBC Gold) hosted a lunch gathering for Saya U Tin Htut (M60, RUBC Captain & Gold, US), U Tin Htoon (A60, RUBC Captain & Gold, US) and U Maung Maung Than Tun (Retired Ambassador, RUBC Captain & Gold).

U Tin Htut coxed the Old Paulians crew, which won the Senior Novices event in 1954. The crew comprised of Tun Shein (Stroke), M. Hla Min (SPHS Saya), Than Nyun (George, retired minister), and Sao Hso Holm (Bow, son of Arzanee Sawbwa).

Four of the five crew members became RUBC Gold. Two became RUBC Captains.

(12) U Chan Tha

• Multi-sports athlete
• Past Captain & Gold of RUBC
• Captain of the Prome Hall Soccer team, which won Inter-Hall Trophy for successive years
• Represented RU and SAMB in soccer

(13) Old Crocs from our days

• Aye Ko
• Aye Lwin (GBNF)
• Aung Lwin (Jasper, C70)
• Bonnie Kun Lone (GBNF)
• Chan Min (George) — Uzin
• Chit Po Po (M69, GBNF)
• David (Cycling)
• Dicky Tan (Win Naing, M69, GBNF)
• Dicky Taw (Dr. Nyan Taw, SPHS63)
• Dennis Tun Thoung (Dr. Mehm Tin Thaung)
• Edward Tai (Kyaw Sint, T70, GBNF)
• Frankie Ohn (Dr. Hla Ngwe Tin, SPHS59)
• Frederick Thetgyi (M69)
• Freddie Tun Thoung (Dr. Mehm Thein Thaung)
• George Ba Thaung (Maung Maung Win, GBNF)
• George Htoon Pay (Aung Tun Oo, George D Smithers, M71)
• George Mahn Daing (ChE67)
• Gyee Thaung (GBNF)
• Han Tin (Saya, GBNF)
• Han Tin (RASU)
• Han Tin (MC, GBNF)
• Harry Whaunt (Than Htut)
• Hlaing Win Gaung (MEHS64, Eco)
• Htain Lin
• Htin Kyaw (MEHS63)
• Johnny Soe Maung (Tin Soe, SPHS59, GBNF)
• Kenneth Lwin
• Khin Maung Aye
• Khin Maung Lay (Henry, T68)
• Kyaw Kyaw
• Kyaw Mra (GBNF)
• Kyaw Oo (M67, GBNF)
• Kyaw Wynn (SPHS63)
• Kyi Aye (GBNF)
• Kyi Soe
• L. Shark Moon (C67, GBNF)
• Lawrence Tims
• Maung Maung Kyi (SPHS63, GBBF)
• Maung Maung Soe
• Maung Maung Soe (Photo)
• Maurice Pedroni
• Micky Po Saw
• Micky Tan (Thein Aung, SPHS59, GBNF)
• Myint Thein (Boxing)
• Myint Thein (David)
• Myint Thein (SPHS64, Eco, GBNF)
• Myint Than (M71)
• Myint Thin (M71, GBNF)
• Myint Toe (M71)
• Myo Myint (EC67)
• Myo Nyunt
• Myo Tin (William Hone)
• Peter Turnbull
• Robin Ban (Kyaw Win, SPHS61)
• Ronnie Tun Nyein
• Sein Myint (EP69)
• Soe Nyunt
• Sein Tun (M69)
• Soe Thin
• Thaung Han
• Thaung Lwin (EC66)
• Than Htut (M67)
• Thein Htut
• Tin Htut
• Tin Maung Aye (Judo)
• Tin Maung Latt
• Tin Maung Lwin
• Tin Myint (GBNF)
• Tin Tun
• Toe Lwin
• Victor Begent
• Willie Soe Maung (Myint Soe, SPHS63, GBNF)
• Win Kyaw (Met71)
• Win Kyaing (M67, GBNF)
• Winston Tun Thoung (Mehm Myo Thoung)
• Wunna Sithu (EC71)
• Zaw Lin