GBNF

by Hla Min

Updated : July 2025

Gone But Not Forgotten

• Conventional wisdom says, “Pyauk thor thu shar hlyin tway. Thay thor thu kyar hlyin mae.” ပျောက်သောသူ ရှာလျှင်တွေ့။ သေသောသူ ကြာလျှင်မေ့။ One may find a lost person. One tends to forget those who have passed away.
• Unconventional wisdom says, “We should maintain GBNF (Gone But Not Forgotten) lists as part of the Written History of our beloved alma mater, our mentors and colleagues.”
• We use GBNF in the “RIT Alumni International Newsletter” and in my Posts.
  Other posts may provide additional information for the entries in the GBNF (by period or year) posts.
• Others use RIP (Rest in Peace), and BFHA (Bound For Higher Abode)

First RIT Website

U Khin Maung Zaw (KMZ, EC76) set up three GBNF pages on ex-RIT.org web site :

• GBNF for sayas and sayamas

• GBNF for alumni

• GBNF for spouses

I used GBNF in the last stanza of my poem “SAYA PU ZAW PWE” for SPZP-2000. The poem was reprinted as the Back Cover of Swel Daw Yeik Sar Saung for SPZP-2000. It was only reprinted by the Class of 69 and Combined 1st BE intake of 64 and 65.

GBNF by School & Class

GBNF for the Class of 69

U Aung Min (M69) reported close to 120 entries in the GBNF list of the Class of 69. About 320 students entered the first ever 2nd BE. The list includes a few seniors who took sabbatical in their study and ended up as our classmates. Over 40% of our former classmates have passed away.

Four EC69ers have passed away :

• U Kyaw Soe (DCA)
• U Aung Thu Yein (Brownie, Schlumberger)

• U Chit Tin (MOGE)

• U Oo Kyaw Hla (Canada)

Due to the decline of health, the 69ers chose to have two Golden Jubilees : the first in 2014 to celebrate the admission to RIT, and the second in December 2019 to celebrate the graduation of most members in 1969.

GBNF for the Class of 70

U Ohn Khine (M70) reported close to 120 entries in the GBNF list of the Class of 70.

Tommy Shwe, Cho Aye, Peter Pe and Thaung Sein (Steeve Kay) were among the Top Ten students from the class. They are now GBNF.

Over 450 students entered the first ever 1st BE.

GBNF from PPBRS

Most of my sayas and sayamas from PPBRS have passed away.

Among my PPBRS classmates, Myo Set (son of actor Tha Gaung Gyi) was the first to pass away. He perished in a car accident. Myint Sein (Veda) and Myat Hla Sein (Movie Tech) are among the recent GBNF from PPBRS.

GBNF from SPHS

Most of my sayas and sayamas from SPHS have passed away. Sayadaw Beatson (Physics, Boy Scouts) is still active and strong.

Among my SPHS classmates, Min Thaw (Gilbert, SPHS63) is among the early ones to pass away. Dr. Myo San (Freddie), Aung Thu Yein (Brownie), Tin Tun, Maung Maung Kyi, Aung Kyi (Arthur Kyi), Khin Maung Bo (Alan Saw Maung), Aung Chaw (Victor) are among the GBNF from SPHS63.

69er GBNF

The GBNF list maintained by U Aung Min (M69) contains 138 of my RIT classmates. About 20 succumbed to Covid. Some had medical problems.

GBNF from UCC & ICST

Several of my sayas, colleagues and former students have passed away.

CO Hla Min (Pauk Si) is an early GBNF from UCC. U Aung Zaw, Daw Nge Ma Ma Than, U Maung Maung Lay (Ah Ba), U Aung Myint and U Maung Maung Gyi are among the recent GBNF from UCC.

Tone Kyaw တုံးကျော်

One should have Samvegha (sense of urgency) after hearing the sad news. When my namesake Hla Min (Pauk Si, SPHS64, EP70) passed away in his mid-thirties, we were shocked since he seemed strong and did not wear jackets (mandated for UCC employees entering the Computer Room). He would often be seen in sport shirts. He passed away with a few months of being diagnosed with liver problem. The consultant doctor was Dr. Min Lwin (Maurice Hla Kyi, SPHS64, IM71). Ko Pauk Si was not a drinker, but other causes inflicted his liver. I became a Tone Kyaw when two government departments where I had given Guest Lectures on Computers and Applications tried to send me “Lwan Thu Pan Khwe” လွမ်းသူ့ပန်းခွေ

U Han Sein (C69) became a Tone Kyaw when the Organizers of the 30th Anniversary of Graduation inadvertently listed him in the GBNF list of the Class of 69. The organizers were unaware that U Han Sein was detained by the authorities after the 8-8-88 event. He resurfaced two decades later with the declaration of Amnesty.

Saya Dr. Tin Hlaing (M63) became a Tone Kyaw when his namesake Saya Dr, Tin Hlaing (formerly of Maritime Studies) passed away. Some alumni had to revoke the wrong announcement.