Four Generations

by Hla Min

Updated : June 2025

First Generation

• My beloved parents. For us, every day is “Father’s Day” and “Mother’s Day“.
• Raised seven children & several grand children.
• Passed away in their 80s.
• For a long time, I was among the lucky ones to have both parents. Now, I am among the unlucky ones to have lost both parents.

• Took care of my two sons when they were young
• Sad to say, they did not live long enough to see my grand children.

Let Oo Saya

During my school days, my parents gave me 25 pyas as pocket money. They wanted to make sure that I study hard.

In Standard VI(D) and Standard VII(D), Ms. Amelia Kyi (“Miss Hong Kong“, mother of U Win Kyi (RUBC Gold)) taught us English. We had to take weekly tests. She would fine 25 pyas to those who fail in a test. She would give 50 pyas to those who do well in a test.

My parents would give bonus prizes only when I did well in the final examinations.

They would buy us typewriters : Remington for English and Olympia for Burmese.

They also gave me a Raleigh bicycle, a Yashika Mat camera, and Cash prizes (100 Kyats for passing a Government examinations and 100 Kyats for each Distinction).

They would also provide us books : several types of dictionaries, Myanmar Swel Sone Kyan, Reader’s Digest, Student’s Companion, A book for Idioms, Grammar (e.g. Wren and Martin), the King’s English (by Fowler and Fowler), “How and Why”, Fun with Mathematics, Classics Illustrated, …, Saya Mauk (Bedin), Cheiro (Palmistry), …, Second World War.

Uncles and Aunts

My uncles & aunts were my adopted Parents.

They had private libraries. There was a set of Encyclopedia Britannica, books by Dale Carnegie (“How to win friends and influence people”, “Five minute biographies”) and more.

They aallowed me to play their piano and games (Badminton, Table Tennis, Carrom, Bridge).

One uncle would take us to Inya Lake for swimming followed by a feast of Buthee Gyaw.

Another uncle would take me to the Recreation Center in the Main Campus (e.g. to meet Saya Dr. Than Tun) and to the Faculty of Social Science & Library (e.g. to meet Saya U Khin Maung Kyawe (Jimmy) and Sayama Daw Myint Myint Khin (Hazel)).

A Zillion Thanks

Dear beloved parents, uncles, aunts and teachers, “I’m sure you will be in the good abodes. I want to thank you for your unbounded love and for your exhortation that “Every thing that’s worth doing is worth doing well” “.

Second Generation

My beloved spouse and I tied the knot in June 1973 in front of our parents (my father, my mother and her mother) and elders including Sayagyi Dr. Chit Swe (Founder and Director of Universities’ Computer Center).

All my siblings are alive and well.

My spouse had lost five family members.

• Her father passed away in his mid 50s.
• Her mother passed away in her late 80s.
• Her elder brother passed away in his early 50s.
• Her younger brother passed away in his early 60s.
• Her nephew passed away in his late 30s.

She volunteered for social and religious events. She wrote several articles for Dhammananda Newsletter with the pen name “Neik Ban Zaw“.

She encouraged me to pay back to our parents, mentors, alma mater, society and our beloved land.

With her support, I served for 26 years as Chief Editor of “RIT Alumni International Newsletter” and as an organizer of activities (including RIT Grand Reunion and Saya Pu Zaw Pwe).

I have written 2500+ posts in my Facebook pages and hlamin.com

Third Generation

• I have two loving sons.
• The elder is a Senior Industrial Engineer.
• The younger is a Senior Software Engineer.

Fourth Generation

• I have two kind, loving and intelligent grandchildren. They excel in Academic, Sports & Social Relations.
• They are our life savers.
• The elder will attend Sixth Grade.
• The younger will attend Third Grade.