Dreams, History, Encyclopedia, Blog

by Hla Min

Updated : June 2025

Preview

• Dreams
  Jules Verne was a dreamer. Many of his dreams became reality.
• Oral & Written History
  Several sayas have passed away. A few have memory loss. We should at least have Oral History.

• Encyclopedia of Asian American Folklore and Folklife
  After submitting sample articles, I was accepted as a contributing author.

• Blog
  It stands for a web log. There are platforms for posting blogs.
• Contributors
  Several sayas, alumni & friends submitted news, photos and articles for my Newsletter and Website.

Dreams

Jules Verne

He dreamed of traveling

• to the Moon and back
• in a hot air balloon
• in a submarine 20000 leagues under the sea
• to the center of the earth
• around the world in 80 days (a remarkable feat for his time)

He inspired people to transform most of his dreams into reality.

Apollo

• In his book, Jules Verne sent three men from a Cape in Florida to orbit the moon, return safely to earth. He used a powerful cannon to achieve the velocity to escape the earth’s atmosphere.
• A century later — in December 1968 — Apollo 8 with Frank Borman, James Lovell and Bill Anders made Verne’s dream a reality. The space ship was launched from Cape Canaveral (later renamed Cape Kennedy), which is within striking distance of the spot chosen by Jules Verne.
• In July 1969, Apollo 11 with Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins and Buzz Aldrin landed in Tranquility Bay on the Moon.
• When President John F. Kennedy proclaimed, “Before this decade is out, we will send men to the moon and then bring them back safely to earth”, there was no substantial plan to support his dream.
• Verner von Braun, a German rocket scientist (who was captured by the Allied Forces as a Prisoner of War), and his team were given a “level of trust” to work on the NASA project.
• It would need baby steps : Mercury, Gemini and Apollo projects to have one, two and three astronauts to man the space ships.
• For the Apollo project, it was not clear how to implement the important phase of bringing the astronauts safely back to the earth. e.g. How can a direct hit to the moon cause a safe return to earth?
• Folklore said that one engineer scribbled on his lunch bag a “spider” landing on the moon and returning. His dream resulted in the design of the “Lunar Module”. The rest is history.

Take away

• If you can dream, others can fulfill [your dream].

My dream two decades ago

• I dreamed that I would be able to get the sayas and alumni get reconnected electronically and physically.
• In 1999, we established the RIT Alumni Newsletter and the RIT web site (with the expertise of U Khin Maung Zaw (KMZ, EC76, web master)).
• In October 2000, with the help of sponsors and volunteers, the First RIT Grand Reunion and Saya Pu Zaw Pwe was held in San Francisco, California, USA.

• Seven SPZPs (Saya Pu Zaw Pwe’s) have been held : SPZP-2000 (in the US), SPZP-2002 (in Singapore), SPZP-2004 (in Yangon), SPZP-2007 and SPZP-2010 (in Singapore), SPZP-2012 and SPZP-2016 (in Yangon). Due to pandemic, SPZP-2000 was canceled.

My recent dream

My recent dream was to get as many contributors and volunteers to compile an informal story of

• Our beloved land
• Our ancestors
• Our mentors
• Pioneers and prime movers (e.g. those who helped build the “Rice Bowl of Asia”)
• Laggards and culprits (e.g. those who dragged Burma into the Least Developing Country status)
• Unsung heroes (e.g. who tried to overcome the “Adhamma Era” and rebuild the nation into former glory)

U Khin Maung Zaw (KMZ, EC76) wrote :

Dreaming and creating inspiration for others to be able to fulfill your dreams are two different animals, if you will, by themselves.

I, like many others, have dreams but we do not have your dedication. perseverance and drive to inspire others.

As I have said many times here, my hats off to you, I am very proud to be considered your friend, and informal pupil.

And to your significant other to take care of you/look after you and your sons while you would be deep into these projects. Please convey my regards to Ma Sein Yie.

Oral and Written History

• There were some Sayas that were over 90. H Num Kok (C), U Soe Khaw (Mining), U Ba Toke (Maths), U Min Wun (C) and U Ba Than (M) have passed away.
• The leading Thet Kyee sayas include U Tin U (C), U Aung Khin (M), Dr. Aung Gyi (Rector, C) and U Myo Myint Sein (A).
• Many of our sayas are in their 80s.
• While they still have high energy and keen memory, we need volunteers to either formally interview them or to record the conversations.
• They can become the artifacts of the Oral History section of an engineering library (preferably the YTU Library).
• There can also be a section to archive the Written History.

H Num Kok (GBNF)

• He taught Engineering Drawing to Dr. Aung Gyi and U Min Wun.
• He taught Soil Mechanics to the younger Sayas.
• He served as President of the RIT Track & Field Association with U Khin Maung Lay (Henry, T68) as Secretary and U Myo Nyunt (C69) as Joint Secretary.
• He served as Line Judge at the RUBC Regattas along with Saya U Sein Win (GBNF) and Saya Dr. San Hla Aung.
• He was loved by his former students. They showed up at the Welcome Party in Yangon for Saya a few years ago. Saya took home the banner of the event to his home in Portland, Oregon, USA.
• He worked full-time until he turned 80.
• He was reasonably healthy in his early 90s.
• He passed away at the age of 98.

U Soe Khaw (GBNF)

• He was Part-time Lecturer & Head of Mining Engineering at BOC College.
• U Soon Sein succeeded him as full-time saya and Head of the Department.
• He worked for the Ministry of Mining before heading out for overseas assignment.
• After retirement from the United Nations, he migrated to the USA.
• He was actively involved in selected monasteries in the San Francisco Bay Area.
• Saya Allen Htay (C58, GBNF), Saya Dr. San Lin (C62) and I had a Lunch gathering with him. The gathering ended near to a Dinner gathering. The three sayas shared their memories.
• He was healthy physically and mentally before his beloved spouse’s demise.
• A few years later, he passed away.
• He is a cousin of Dr. Htut Saing (Harry, Past Captain and Gold of RUBC, GBNF).

U Ba Toke (GBNF)

• He is a Phwa Bet Taw of the University of Rangoon and the First RU Students’ Strike in December 1920.

• His life journey had been recorded and published by his former student Saya Dr. Khin Maung Swe (Maung Thin Char) with the help of Sayama Daw Myint Myint Khine (daughter of Arzani Mahn Ba Khine).
• During my visits to Yangon, I paid respect to Saya. He gave me autographed copy of the book.
• He was an athlete. He played soccer in his younger days. He headed the Burmese team to Tokyo Olympics.
• He used to walk every weekend with his younger Dhamma friends to Shwe Dagon Pagoda.
• At the subsequent visits, I found the decline of his health but not his mental acumen.
• Saya passed away on December 2, 2020 the day after the RU Centennial, and several days short of his birthday on December 26.

U Tin U

• He gave an interview for HMEE-2012 Project.
• When the Rangoon University reopened in 1946 (after the war), he attended RU along with Dr. Pe Nyun & Dr. Pe Thein.
• Most of his former classmates are GBNF.
• He is the Oldest & Most Senior Past Captain of RUBC.
• He represented RUBC in the 1948 Independence Day Regatta at Kandawgyi along with Dr. Pe Nyun, Dr. Pe Thein & U Khin Maung Wint.
• He opened the RUBC Centennial Celebrations in December 2023.
• He is Past Captain of Rangoon Golf Club. He played golf until his early 80s.
• He still enjoys the evenings sitting in the lawn and enjoying Scotch Whiskey.

U Ba Than (GBNF)

• He passed away in early 2024.
• His elder brother Saya U Tin U (96 years) is still strong and active.
• Some thought that their longevity is due to their genes. Sadly, their father passed away in his 60s after raising nine successful sons and daughters.
• Until a period before his demise, Saya remembered most of his former students well.
• Several students have seen his photo albums. Many photos were given to MES for display and to HMEE (History of Myanmar Engineering Education) for display in the book and the supplemental CD.
• He is a proud sponsor of the History project along with U Soe Paing (EE, UCC) and U Thaw Kaung (former Chief Librarian of the Rangoon University Central Library).
• He donated almost all of the Garawa money that he received from the SPZPs and his former students.

U Aung Khin

• After retirement as Professor & Head of Mechanical Engineering, he moved to Canada.
• He still plays Tennis & Golf.
• He does not want to fly long distances.
• He is spending quality time with his children and grand children.
• Ivan Lee (M69) organized two trips to visit Windsor, Canada and pay respect to Saya.

Dr. Aung Gyi, U Min Wun & U Maung Maung Than

• Dr. Aung Gyi is healthy except for some hearing loss. He attended most SPZPs and Reunions held in the USA, Singapore and Myanmar. He wrote several articles for the RIT Alumni International Newsletter.
• Dr. Aung Gyi, U Min Wun (GBNF) and U Maung Maung Than (GBNF) were the initial group of Engineering students sent to study at the prestigious Universities in the USA under the “Twinning Program”.
• For some time, U Min Wun (GBNF) could not travel far as he has to take care of his beloved spouse with some health problems. His former students from Myanmar paid respect to Saya in Los Angeles. They also brought Garawa money from the various Civil gatherings in Myanmar. Sadly, he passed away a year ago.
• U Maung Maung Than (GBNF) served as Chair of the RIT Sports Council during our days. He played Chinlon. He is also a musician.

HMEE Projects

• For the HMEE-2012 Project, we requested the former Heads of the Engineering Departments to write about the history of their departments. The book was published in December 2012.

• The HMEE-2018 Project was established to revise the book published by HMEE-2012 and to provide additional material for the planned two-volume book. However, it did not run into completion partly because of the demise of Saya U Aung Hla Tun and partly because of the calamities.

Sense of urgency

• Several sayas have passed away and some sayas have declining physical and mental heath.
• We sense that the window for having a comprehensive Written History and Oral History is shrinking.
• There is still some time to learn from our sayas and their contemporaries about the different facets of Myanmar Engineering Education.
• Their stories can become gems for the Archives.
• MEC, MES and RIT Alumni Association can help with the project.

Written History

Several sayas wrote articles and/or notes for

• “RIT Alumni International Newsletter” & updates
• Swel Daw Yeik Sar Sarsaung for SPZP-2002, SPZP-2007 & SPZP-2010
• Swel Daw Yeik Magazine for SPZP-2012, Shwe YaDu (2014) & SPZP-2016
• RIT Annual Magazines
• RUESU Annual Magazines
• Departmental Magazines (Mechanical, Electrical …)
• Set Hmu Thadinzin
• Trivia posts
• Blogs by Sayas & Alumni

The articles can become artifacts of the Written History section of an engineering library (preferably the YTU Library).

Encyclopedia of Asian American Folklore and Folklife

• Nine of my articles appear in the Encyclopedia.
• The three-volume book was published by ABC-CLIO in 2011. The book was sold for $275.
• I received a book for completing eight articles according to the agreement and $10 (for the additional article).
• Burmese Americans are covered in Pages 127 to 178 of Volume One.
• The Editors decided to merge two of my articles with other authors. Unfortunately, an error introduced by my co-author. On page 150, he mentioned July 22 (instead of July 19) as Martyrs’ Day. The merged article unfortunately was not sent to me for review. The Editors promise to correct the error in subsequent editions.
• Folk tales (as told by Saya Dr. Htin Aung and Ludu U Hla) are part of the Folklore.
• To read my articles on-line, you should go to “Google Books” and then search “Hla Min“.

Blog

Diary, journal, log, and blog (web log) are ways and means to record one’s experience and thoughts.

Blogging is fun. One can just write down one’s thoughts without caring for academic integrity or historical precision. One does not have to write comprehensive reports. Several readers (mostly SMEs or Subject Matter Experts) point out errors (typos, discrepancies).

Not all media and social media are created equal. Each has its advantages and disadvantages. For example, Facebook is a great way to get connected and reconnected (with long lost friends), but it requires time and energy to navigate the “rolling” and “revolving” posts.

I blog in my Facebook page and then share it with one or more FB pages (mainly “RIT Update”). As time and energy permit, I archive the posts along with the relevant feedback to

hlamin.com (my paid web site)

One does not need an account to read my posts on the web sites.

If you search “Hla Min” on the web, it will return (a) a former colonel (b) a former minister (c) an educator (d) some medical tests & results on HLA (e) some of my works

If you specify “RIT” or “TBSA”, the search engine will return my writings in the Newsletters.

If you go to “Google Books”, then you can find my articles for “Encyclopedia of Asian American Folklore and Folklife”.

On the long run, I hope to post “more complete treatment” of topics. As Dr. Nyunt Wai commented, it is a necessary, important and time consuming step to transform my raw materials into a form presentable as an e-book or printed book. I need volunteers to realize my dream and wishes (of an amateur historian, story teller and life long learner) before my reasonably good memory starts to fade away.

Contributors

• Saya U Aung Khin
• Saya U Ba Than (GBNF)
• Saya Dr. Aung Gyi
• Saya U Min Wun (GBNF)
• U Aw Taik Maw (C54)
• Saya Allen Htay (C58, GBNF)
• Saya Dr. San Hla Aung (C58)
• Saya U Htin Paw (EE58, GBNF)
• Saya U Myo Myint Sein (A58)
• U Tin Htoon (A60)
• Saya U Maung Maung Win (M61)
• Saya Mao Toon Siong (M62)
• Saya U Soe Paing (EE, UCC)
• Saya U Moe Aung (EE63)
• U Myint Khine (Norman, C63)
• Saya Des Rodgers
• Saya U Khin
• Sayama Daw Khin Saw Tint (GBNF)
• Saya Dr. Nyo Win (M65)
• U Than Tun (A65, GBNF)
• Saya Dr. Koung Nyunt (A67, GBNF)
• U Myo Myint (EC67)
• Saya U Myat Htoo (C68)
• U Hla Min (EC69)
• U Aung Min (M69)
• U Tint Lwin (Daniel, M69)
• Benny Tan (M70)
• U Ohn Khine (M70)
• U Zaw Min Nawaday (EP70)
• Daw Than Yi (EP70)
• Daw Mai Khin Nyunt (ChE71)
• Saya U Aung Myaing (ChE72)
• Saya U Thein Aung (Met72)
• U Wynn Htain Oo (M72)
• U Myint Pe (M72)
• Dr. Myint Thein (M73)
• U Myo Myint (M73)
• Saya U Nyunt Htay (Met73)
• U Myint Thein (M74)
• Maurice Chee (M75)
• U Khin Maung Zaw (KMZ, EP76)
• U Htay Aung (Victor, EE80)
• Dr. Thane Oke Kyaw Myint (SPHS60)
• Dr. Khin Maung U (SPHS63)
• Dr. Nyunt Wai (SPHS63)
• Several posted for “Once upon a time at RIT”