Author: Hla Min (Lifelong Learner)

Philosophy
Dr. Hla Bu
- He was Professor of Philosophy and Psychology at Rangoon University.
- Later, RU established Philosophy and Psychology as separate departments.
Origin
- Philosophy is derived from “Phil” (Love of) and “sophy” (wisdom).
Usage
- Advanced degrees often have “Philosophy” (to mean “Love of wisdom”).
- Ph.D (Doctorate in Philosophy)
- M.Phil (Master of Philosophy)
Disrespect
- Under the then new Education System (starting in 1964), some students with low ILA (Intelligence Level Aggregate) were assigned to study Philosophy.
- The Education System led to the end of well-rounded / liberal education in Burma.
- Ko Win Myint, who was a High School Luyechun from Myeik (Mergui), was assigned to study Philosophy, but he did not lose heart and eventually became a computer professional.
Dr. Khin Maung Win
- Professor of Philosophy
- Later : Minister of Education in the BSPP era.
U San Lwin
- Lecturer
- He was also known as author (e.g. famous Philosophers), hypnotist, movie director, and monk (discussing comparative religion)
Nanda Thein Zan
- Professor
- Well known author
Acariya Pu Zaw Pwe
- Workers’ College
PZP
May 25, 2025
Psychology
Dr. Hla Bu
- Professor of Philosophy and Psychology at Rangoon University.
- Later : RU established Philosophy and Psychology as separate departments.
Origin
- Psychology is derived from “Psycho” (meaning Mind) and “logy” (meaning study of).
Dr. Hla Thwin

Dr. Hla Thwin
- Professor of Psychology
- He was active in RU Sports Council & RU Soccer.
Dr. Kyaw Sein
- Professor of Psychology
- Later, Minister of Education in the BSPP era.
U Khin Maung Tint

Tekkatho Phone Naing
- Well-known author
- Pen name : Tekkatho Phone Naing
- Principal, Taunggyi College
- Later : Rector, Institute of Education
Daw Elsie Po Sa
- Professor of Psychology
- Passed away
- Daughter of U Po Sa, first Burmese to open a Bank
Daw Khin Khin Htwe

(Flora San Pe)

U Thein Han & Daw Khin Khin Htwe
- Retired as Librarian in charge of the Burmese section at the Library of Congress
- Sister of Dr. Pe Nyun and Dr. Pe Thein
Usage
- The term Psychology appears in some computer books.
- The Psychology of Programming (by Gerald Weinberg)
- The Psychology of Computer Vision (by Patrick Henry Winston)
May 25, 2025
Sayas and Colleagues
by Hla Min

Updated : May 2025

There is a related post “GBNF : Sayas” with details of selected sayas.

Deans and Rectors
- U Ba Hli (Dean)
U Ba Hli
- Dr. Htin Aung (Interim Dean)
- Dr. Maung Maung Kha (Interim Dean)
- U Po Tha (Interim Dean)
- U Yone Moe (RIT Rector, BIT Dean)
- U Khin Aung Kyi (RIT Rector)
- U Maung Maung Than (RIT Rector)
Architecture
- U Tha Tun (A, Part-time)
  Passed away on 13th Sept. 1974
- U Kyaw Min (A, Part-time)
- Sai Yee Leik (A)
- Dr. Koung Nyunt (A)
- U Shwe (A)
Civil
- H Num Kok (C)
- U Min Wun (C)
- Allen Htay (C)
- U Aye Win Kyaw (C)
- Madan Chand (C)
- U Kyaw San (C, Part-time)
Chemical and Chemistry
- U Khin Aung Kyi (ChE)
- U Kyaw Tun (ChE, Chem)
- Dr. Maung Maung Win (ChE)
- U Ohn Maung (ChE)
- Daw Than Than (Chem)
Electrical
- Dr. F Ba Hi (EE, Part-time)
- U Kyaw Tun (EE)
- C. Ping Lee (EE)
- U Sein Hlaing (EE)
- U Tin Swe (EE)
- U Sein Win (EE)
- U Thein Lwin (EE)
- Dr. San Tint (EE)
- U Soe Min (EE)
- U Chin Way (EE)
- U Nyi Nyi (EE)
- U Tin Shwe (EE)
- U Kyaw Naing (Sin Gwan, EE)
- Daw Nyunt Nyunt Yee (EE)
English
- Sao Kan Gyi (Eng)
- Joe Ba Maung (Eng)
Mechanical
- U Ba Than (M)
- U Tin Hlaing (M)
- U Khin Maung (M)
- U Myo Win (M)
- U Han Tun (M)
- U Soe Lwin (M)
- S Arya (M)
- S Kyaw Aye (M)
- Dr. Chan Nyein (M)
- U Thein Tun Aung (M)
- U Tin Maung Oo
Metallurgy
- U Thit (Met)
- Dr. Saw Pru (Met)
- Dr. Khin Maung Win (Met)
- U Aung Hla Tun (Met)
Mining
- U Soe Khaw (Min, Part-time)
- U Soon Sein (Min)
- U Win Kyaing (Min / Pet)
- U Chit Htun (Min)
- U Kyaw Tint (Min)
- U Aung Myint (Pet)
Physics
- Daw Nyein (Phy)
- U Hlwan Moe (Phy)
- U Saw Hlaing (Phy)
- Daw May Than Nwe (Phy)
Textile
- U Maung Maung Than (T)
- U Shwe Yi (T)
- Julie Han (T)
- Daw Tin Tin Ohn (T)
- U Hla Shwe (T)
UCC
- Dr. Tin Maung (UCC)
- U Ko Ko Lay (UCC)
- U Hla Min (CO, UCC)
- U Aung Zaw (UCC)
- U Mya Thein (UCC)
- U Kyaw Nyein (UCC)
- U Soe Myint (UCC)
- U Shein Soe Myint (UCC)
- U Aung Aung Thein (UCC)
- U Ba Than Aye (Myo Myint Lay, UCC)
- U Myint Aung (UCC)
- Daw Aye Aye Kyi (UCC)
- Daw Win May Thoung (UCC)
- Daw Khin Lay Myint (UCC)
- Daw Hla Hla Win (UCC)
- Daw Khin Toe Nyein (UCC)
- Daw Kyu Kyu Lwin (UCC)
- U Win Htein (PWD) : managed EE systems at UCC
- Dr. Kyaw Thein (ICST)
PBRS
- U Kyaw Zaw (PBRS)
- Daw Khin Khin Aye (PBRS)
- U Tin Maung Thant (PBRS)
SPHS
- Saya U Sein (SPHS)
- Saya D’Cruz (SPHS, Australia)
- Brother Clementian (SPHS)
- Ms. A Benjamin (SPHS)
- Mrs. V. Boudville (SPHS)
- Miss Hong Kong (Ameilia Kyi, SPHS)
- Saya U Pe Tin (SPHS)
- Saya U Nge (SPHS)
- Saya U Kyaw Sein (SPHS)
Doctors
- Dr. Mohan
- Dr. Daw Khin Than Nu
- Dr. Mya Tu
- Dr. Thein Toe
- Dr. Htut Saing (Harry)
- Dr. Kyaw Win
- Dr. Min Aung
- Dr. Byron Law Yone
- Dr. Nyunt Win (Eddie)
- Dr. Aung Thwin
- Dr. Myo San
- Dr. Yi Thway
- Dr. Htut Kyaw Win
May 25, 2025
U Po Kyaw Myint (Bur)
- He taught Burmese at Rangoon University.
- He wrote books / articles with the pen name မြန်စာဂုဏ် ကျော်မြင့်
- He was a Thaing Saya.
- A bus caught his rain coat. He passed away.
May 25, 2025
Ko Soe Paing (C, Singapore)
- I met him at the houses of Ko Kyaw Kyaw Moe / Ma Pale & Ko Zaw Tun / Ma Kyu.
- He passed away unexpectedly during a Company Trip to Indonesia. He did not show up at a meeting.
- He caught Covid, but the cause of his demise was not confirmed (at the time of this writing).
- He had plans to retire and spend some time practicing Vipassana meditation.
- Death is certain, but most people do not know where and when they will rest in peace.
May 25, 2025
Alphabet
by Hla Min

Updated : May 2025

English
- There are 26 letters in the English alphabet.
- A is the first letter. B is the second letter. Z is the last letter.
- A1 stands for first (e.g. in quality and performance).
  It was used as an insurance rating. It is the name of a Burmese Film Company.
- ABC may mean “basics” or “fundamentals”. It may stand for American Broadcasting Corporation. It may stand for American Born Chinese.
- ABCD may stand for American Burmese Cab Drivers. Some belong to “Dhamma Yin Daw Ah Phwe” which provide free rides for sayadaws giving dhamma talks.
- One meaning of “A-Z” (A to Z) is “complete”.
- “Dot the i’s and Cross the t’s” mean “be thorough”.
Burmese

Vowels & Consonants

Greek
- Alpha is the first letter of the Greek alphabet.
- Beta is the second letter.
- Omega is the last letter.
- Alpha testers are the first to test the product. Beta testers are the next group to test the product.
- Alpha males dominate in several species.
- Alpha and Omega” stands for “First and Last”.
- Omega is a name of watches and clocks.
- Omega is a kind of nutrition supplement.
Pyu

Pyu

Pyu Inscription
May 24, 2025
Associative Memory
- I do not have a photographic memory
- I have a good associative memory
Example of Association

Will associate selected facts

Facts
- Michael Aye attended St. Paul’s High School (SPHS) with my cousins : Myint Toe (Son of my paternal uncle) & Kyaw Nyunt (Son of my maternal aunt). They matriculated in 1965.
- Michael and Myint Toe attended RIT. They graduated with Mechanical Engineering in 1971.
M71
- Michael and Kyaw Nyunt settled in the USA. Michael was a Best Man at Kyaw Nyunt’s wedding.
- Audrey (Michael’s wife) was a classmate of my sister-in-law at St. Philomena’s Convent.
- Audrey’s older brother Dr. Khin Maung Wint (Sargalay) was a classmate of my brother-in-law at SPHS.
- Sargalay’s wife Ma Pearl is the sister of Saya U Myo Win (Melvyn, M65, GBNF).
- Saya Melvyn’s wife Ma Nolene is the sister of Tin Aung Win (Tom) and Nyi Nyi Than (spouse of Sayama Toni).
- Tin Aung Win’s wife Dorothy is the younger daughter of my Saya U Kyaw Tun (EE, GBNF).
- Dorothy’s elder sister Elizabeth was my classmate at PPBRS.
The information pieces can be linked or associated.

Example

Let BIL stand for Brother-in-Law.

Then,

Tin Aung Win
= BIL(Melvyn)
= BIL(BIL(Sargalay))
= BIL(BIL(BIL(Michael Aye)))

Exercise

Try to connect the dots between Michael and me in several ways.
May 24, 2025
Social and Reading Club

Rangoon University used to have Social and Reading Clubs.

Burma Institute of Technology

BIT S&R Club

In 1961, the RU Faculty of Engineering moved to the Gyogone Campus and was called BIT. Saya U Yone Mo was Dean.

Saya U San Tun joined Mechanical Engineering Department as Assistant Lecturer in 1959. He did his Masters at MIT. Upon his return, he taught at BIT. He served as a Hall Tutor along with U Maung Maung Win (M), U San Tint (EE) and U Shwe Yi (Tex).

Saya U Kyaw Tun served as Hall Warden.

The photo of the BIT S&R Club Executive Committee for 1962 – 63 was provided by Saya U San Tun.

May 24, 2025
Engineering Departments
During our RIT days, there were eight Engineering Departments.
- Architecture
- Chemical
- Civil
- Electrical
- Mechanical
- Metallurgy
- Textile
Architecture
- Architecture courses were introduced in 1954.
- The first batch of graduates include U Myo Myint Sein (A58).
- U Khin Maung Thint and several foreign sayas taught the early courses.
- A Group photo of the first three batches (A58, A59, A60) was provided by Victor Pe Win (A60) and friends.
A58, A58 & A60
- U Tha Tun (GBNF) served as the first native Head of Department. U Than Tun (A65, GBNF) read Saya’s biography at the Architecture Association.
- U Myo Myint Sein succeeded U Tha Tun as Head. He retired as Professor.
Chemical
- Chemical Engineering courses were introduced in 1953 with Indian contract sayas.
- The first batch of graduates include Dr Hla Myint (ChE57).
- U Khin Aung Kyi served as the first native Head of Department.
- He later served as Professor and Rector.
Civil
- Civil Engineering is the first major/discipline offered in Burma.
- The early courses were taught at a building near RGH (Rangoon General Hospital).
- First native Civil professor : U Ba Hli (GBNF). He also served as Dean of Engineering.
- U Mya Han, Dr. Aung Gyi, U Min Wun, and Dr. Win Thein served as Civil Professors. Dr. Aung Gyi was promoted to Rector.
Electrical
- First native Electrical professor : U Sein Hlaing (GBNF)
- He taught until full retirement. He passed away a couple of years later.
- EE (Electrical Engineering) department offered EC (Electrical Communications, aka EcE, Electronics) and EP (Electrical Power) degrees.
- EC and EP later became full-fledged departments.
- First EC professor : Dr. San Tint (GBNF)
- First EP professor : U Sein Win (GBNF)
- At one time, the joint Mech/EE degree program was offered.
Mechanical
- First native Mechanical professor : U Aung Khin
- U Ba Than (GBBF) and U Kyin Soe served as Mech Professors
- First Head of Automobile Engineering sub-department : U San Tun
- First Head of Agricultural Engineering sub-department : U Tin Hlaing (GBNF)
- At one time, the joint Mech/EE degree program was offered.
Metallurgy
- U Thit (GBNF) served as the first native Head of Metallurgy Department.
- Dr. Saw Pru (GBNF), U Than Tin and Dr. Khin Maung Win (GBNF) are some early sayas.
Mining
- U Soe Khaw (GBNF) served as Part-time Lecturer and Head of the Mining Department.
- U Soon Sein (GBNF) succeeded U Soe Khaw as Full-time Lecturer and Head. He retired as Professor.
Textile
- U Maung Maung Than (GBNF) served as the first native Head of Textile Department.
- He later served as Professor and Rector.
- The first batch of graduates include U Shwe Yi (GBNF), Daw Tin Tin Ohn (GBNF) and Julie Han.
May 24, 2025
Architecture

U Khin Maung Thint

He was an early saya.

Three Batches (A58, A59, A60)

A58, A59 & A60

The first batch (A58) included Saya U Myo Myint Sein (Retired Professor and Head).

The second batch (A59) included U Bo Gyi (Uzin, GBNF, Designer of Mausoleum for Daw Khin Kyi) and Saya Dr. Lwin Aung (Uzin, Retired Pro-Rector).

The third batch (A60) included U Tin Htoon (Past Captain and Gold of RUBC, ARAE Champion in 1958 and 1960), U Aung Kyee Myint (Retired Chief Architect, PWD) and U Kin Maung Yin (GBNF, Modern Art, Director).

U Tha Tun (GBNF)

Saya is remembered in the articles by Saya Dr. Koung Nyunt (A67, GBNF) and U Than Tun (A65, GBNF). He served as Head of Architecture Department.

U Kyaw Min (GBNF)

Saya is an MIT alumnus. He taught part time. His pen name is Pi Thu Kar Kyaw Min. He is a founding member and EC of BARB.

U Myo Myint Sein

Saya graduated in 1958 from RaU. He did his Masters at Michigan University. He succeeded U Tha Tun as Head of Department. After retirement as Professor and Head, he moved to US. He published books. He wrote articles for RIT Alumni International Newsletter and Swel Daw Yeik Magazine.

Class of A68, A69 and A70

Saya Sai Yee Laik (A68, GBNF) stood first and last in his class.

U Kyaw Kyaw, U Thet Tun, U Aung Khin, U Myo Tun (Uzin, Bobby), Saw Tobias Kittim Ku (GBNF), Daw Thwin Thwin Aye Hmi and U Tin Maung Hla (GBNF) are from A69.

U Khin Maung Maung (A70) is an organizer for Arch Alumni gatherings.

Miscellaneous

One female student (from A60) left for India before graduation. She was the first female engineering student at RU.

Five female students — four Textile and one Chemical — graduated in 1961. They were the first batch of female engineering graduates.

May 24, 2025