Author: Hla Min (Lifelong Learner)

Elections
by Hla Min

Updated : June 2026

1960 Election

U Nu
- Pyidaungsu Party (formerly known as Clean AFPFL) won. U Nu became Prime Minister of the Union of Burma for the Third and Last time.
- Several military officers (who used power to support the Losing Party) were purged.
- The 17 man Revolutionary Council staged a Coup d’etat on March 2, 1962. According to Kyemon U Thaung, six of them did not have access to high level information / decision.
- Burma lost its hard fought Independence.
Sham Elections
- During the BSPP era, there were Sham Elections. Mostly single candidate nominated by BSPP. Voters had to choose White (Yes) or Black (No).
- During one BSPP Convention, the then Number One did not get the Top Vote. A purge followed. Those suspected of “Election Fraud” were criminalized with ludicrous charges. The MI Chief and his followers became extremely powerful. Eventually they were detained or dismissed.
- Jump Promotions and Purges led to many Toadies. e.g a Commander who baby sit the grand kids of his Boss.
Past Elections
- In September 1988 General Saw Maung took over. He promised to hold free and fair elections and that the soldiers will return to the Barracks.
  Citing medical reasons, he was forced out & replaced by a Ruthless Dictator.
- The National League for Democracy won the 1990 Elections. The results were nullified. The majority of elected representatives were detained.
- The military rule — accompanied by Nepotism, Cronyism & Terrorism — established a hand crafted Constitution in 2008 to ensure impunity for their Crimes and an unfair advantage to the past, present & future Thugs.
- 2010 Election was virtually uncontested. Some Toadies helped the military by posing as Opposition.
- 2015 and 2020 Elections were won convincingly by NLD (National League for Democracy).
June 14, 2026
December
by Hla Min

Updated : June 2026

Background
- Dec means Ten. December is the 10th month of the old Roman Calendar.
- December is the 12th and last month of the Gregorian Calendar.
- Has 31 days
- December 31st is celebrated as New Year’s Eve
December 1920

Dec 1, 1920
- Rangoon University was established with Rangoon College & Judson College as affiliates.
- Golden Jubilee in 1970; Diamond Jubilee in 1995; Centennial in 2020.
Dec 5, 1920
- First RU Students’ Strike to protest the 1920 RU Act.
- The anniversaries use the Burmese Calendar.
Dec 26, 1920

U Ba Toke
- Saya U Ba Toke was born. He is a Phwa Bet Taw of Rangoon University and the first RU Students’ Strike.
- Saya passed away on Dec 2, 2020 (the day following the RU Centennial and a few days short of his Centennial Birthday.)
Dec 1974

U Thant Ah Yay Ah Khinn
- Dark moment in the history of Burma
U Thant Ah Yay Ah Khin

Apollo 8
- Orbited the Moon in December 1968
- Astronauts : Frank Borman, James Lovell, Bill Anders
December 25
- Christmas Eve on Dec 24
- Christmas on Dec 25
December 26
- Saya U Ba Toke was born in 1920. He passed away on Dec 2, 2020 a few days before his Centennial birthday
December 31
- New Year’s Eve
SEAP Games
- Burma hosted the 2nd SEAP Games in December, 1961
2nd SEAP Games
- Burma hosted the 5th SEAP Games in December, 1969
5th SEAP Games

Poem

Birthdays

Several birthdays in December among my relatives & friends. They include
- Beloved spouse : Dec 30
- Saya U Tin Maung Nyunt : Dec 30
- Saya Allen Htay (GBNF) : Dec 31
- Elder sister
- Cousin
- Uncle (GBNF)
- Classmates : Maung Maung Kyi (Wales, GBNF) and Aung Thu Yein (Brownie, GBNF).
U Tin Maung Nyunt

U Tin Maung Nyunt
- Saya usually celebrates his birthday performing meritorious deeds.
- Before his current medical condition, he observed Eight Precepts.
- Practices Vipassana Meditation
- He is a day older than Saya Allen Htay.
My Beloved Spouse

My spouse (in her younger days)
- Supported my volunteer activities for nearly five decades.
- I completed 26 years as Founder & Editor of “RIT Alumni Newsletter Updates”.
2015 in Los Angeles
- We attended several RIT gatherings : SPZP-2000, SPZP-2012, SPZP-2016 & 69er Golden Jubilee in Yangon; RIT & UCC Gatherings in Australia & Singapore; and many gatherings in the USA.
SPZP-2016
- Attended 2015 RIT Alumni Reunion in Los Angeles held at the Knott Berry Farms, and a special gathering at iNapa Winery.
iNapa Winery
- She is a Caring Spouse, a Dutiful Mother & a Loving Grandmother. She asked me to take care of my health and minimize use of phone & computer.
Myee
- She loves to sing and dance at the gatherings. I am an amateur musician who plays instruments (piano, key board, guitar, harmonica) by ear.
NorCal RITAA

Here’s my birthday wish:

May you be blessed with Good Health, Abundant Wealth, Unbounded Love, Peace, Calm, Tranquility … for many more years to come.

June 1973

Events in December

Saya U Ba Toke
- December 1, 1920 : Under the RU Act of 1920, Rangoon University was established with Rangoon College & Judson College as constituent colleges.
- RU Golden Jubilee in 1970 : I was member of the “Zay Nay Yar Cha Htar Yay” committee
- RU Diamond Jubilee in 1995 : BARB produced documentary for “Rangoon University Sports”
- RU Centennial in 2020 :
  I was Moderator of the RU Centennial Facebook group
- December 26, 1920 : Saya U Ba Toke’s birthday. His life story is published in the book by Tekkatho Maung Thin Char (Dr. Khin Maung Swe, GBNF).
  Saya passed away on December 2, 2020 a few days before his Centennial Birthday
- December 5, 1920 : First RU Students’ Strike — Caused amendments to the RU Act.
  Led to the establishment of Amyothar Kyaung (National School) & Amyothat Kawleik (College). Amyothar Aung Bwe Nay (National Day) is celebrated using the Burmese date
- December 1961 : Second SEAP Games — Hosted in Rangoon;
  Burma dominated in Track & Field, Swimming & Volleyball. About 20 athletes from RU represented Burma in the Games (See photo by Dr. Richard Yu Khin)
RU students who represented Burma in the 2nd SEAP Games in 1961
- Dec 1969 : Fifth SEAP Games in Rangoon
Opening ceremony for 5th SEAP Games in 1969
June 14, 2026
Alumni
by Hla Min

Updated : June 2026

Paying respect
- Paying respect to Sayas is a tradition that is unique to Myanmar.
- The tradition is alive and well.
- There have been seven world wide SPZPs : SPZP-2000 (US);
  SPZP-2002, SPZP-2007, SPZP-2010 (Singapore);
  SPZP-2004, SPZP-2012, SPZP-2016 (Yangon)
- I was fortunate to be a Core Organizer for SPZP-2000 and a Coordinator for the remaining SPZPs.
SPZP-2000

Alumni

Many alumni are active in the following:
- SDYF (Swel Daw Yeik Foundation)
- RITAA (RIT-YIT-YTU Alumni Association)
- NorCal RITAA (in the US)
- MES
- MEC
- HMEE-2018
History
- “History of Myanmar Engineering Education” was published in 2012.
- The project’s initiators included Saya U Soe Paing, Sayagyi U Ba Than and several sayas and alumni. (See Acknowledgement in the Book)
- Saya U Aung Hla Tun and team compiled the book.
- Ko Ohn Khine (M70) and I compiled the CD Supplement for the HMEE-2012 book
- The draft for the first two sections were prepared by Saya U Soe Paing and team.
- Ko Ohn Khine translated Section 1 and summarized Section 2. The translations have been revised by Saya U Soe Paing.
- Saya U Aung Hla Tun gave the copyright to RITAA.
- HMEE-2018 was headed by Saya U Aung Hla Tun. His demise affected the progress of the project.
YTU Library Modernization Project

A decent Library is a requirement of the accreditation of YTU by Asean (and beyond).

Donations — large and small — came in. Thanks to U Wynn Htain Oo (M72), Ma Nan Khin Nwe (83 Intake) and team.

The donors include
- U Khin Maung Tun (T78)
- Dr. Myo Khin (C70) and Daw Mya Nwe (C73)
- Daw Myint Myint (C69)
- Saya U Tin Htut (M60)
- James Shwe (M76) and Annette Shwe (A75)
- NorCal RITAA
- Alumni from Singapore, Australia and New Zealand
Archive
- The Library could have a section to help remember our beloved alma mater, our sayas and alumni activities.
- Sayagyi Dr. Aung Gyi endorsed Ko Benny Tan’s proposal to archive the mementos.
- We requested alumni (esp. class representatives) to record gatherings / activities.
Health Care Funds
- Steeve and Helen Kay Health Care Fund for RIT Sayas and Sayamas
- Eye examination and assistance Fund provided by U Khin Maung Tun
- The balance of both funds had been handed over to Swel Daw Yeik Foundation.
- Other funds include 69er HCF, EE69er HCF, and those administered by the classes and groups (e.g. Combined 1st BE Intake of 64 and 65)
Resources
- RIT related Facebook pages
- RIT related Google groups
- hlamin.com
Saya Allen Htay (C58)
- Leader of the San Francisco Bay Area Alumni Group
- Co-founded “RIT Alumni International” which hosted SPZP-2000 and served as President.
- His article “Brother, can you spare US $500?” is a classic.
- Daw Mu Mu Khin hosted a lunch in memory of Saya on December 31, 2017.
- In memory of Saya Allen, Daw Mu Mu Kin donated Saya’s books to the YTU library.
  Also sponsored scholarships for eligible YTU students.
Golden Sponsors
- U Thaung Sein (Steeve, EC70)
- U Benny Tan (M70)
- U Khin Maung Oo (Ivan Lee, M69)
- U Tin Myint (David Ko, M67)
- U Maung Maung Than (M79)
  
  The five Golden sponsors and other donors made sure U Nyo Win’s Act (requiring the organizers to chip in if SPZP-2000 will not have the minimum number of attendees) will not be needed.
2019
- Completed two decades as Chief Editor of RIT Alumni International Newsletter
- Compiled posts for the Golden Jubilee of 69ers
  Attended both events on December 14, 2019
2020
- Broadcast educational videos
2021 – Present
- Writing and revising posts in hlamin.com
- Request help to transform into digital and/or printed books for posterity
June 14, 2026
New Year
by Hla Min

Updated : June 2026

Hla Min

Universal
- January 1 is usually accepted as “New Year’s Day”.
- Some countries celebrate it as a holiday.
- December 31 is “New Year’s Eve”.
- Some sing “Auld Lang Syne” to usher in the New Year.
Old Calendars
- The old Roman Calendar has only 10 months starting with March
  So, March signified the New Year
- Some civilizations celebrate Vernal equinox or First Day of Spring
  e.g. Persian New Year
  So, the New Year will fall around 20th – 22nd March
Lunar New Year
- Falls around end of January or beginning of February
- Celebrated by Chinese and Vietnamese
Luni-solar New Year
- Falls in mid-April
- Celebrated by Burmese / Myanmar, Thai, Cambodia, Laos
- Burmese New Year follows Thingyan (which means change)
  Maha Thingyan means Great Change (from one year to the next).
  Cula Thingyan means Small Change (from one month/yathi to another month/yathi)
- 3 or 4 days of Thingyan (also known as Water Throwing Festival)
Miscellaneous
- New Year of the indigenous people
  e.g. Karen New Year
June 12, 2026
Dark Moments
by Hla Min

Updated : June 2026

July 19, 1947

Arzanis
- See Posts
March 2, 1962
- The Coup d’etat ended Parliamentary Democracy in the Union of Burma.
- President Mahn Win Maung, Prime Minister U Nu & cabinet ministers, and Shan Sawbwas were detained.
U Nu

7th July 1962
- It saw indiscriminate shooting at the student protesters.
- The official death tally was 17.
- Ko Aung Khin was hit by a stray bullet as he was returning from RUBC to his home in Windermere Road.
8th July 1962
- It saw the revered RU Student Union Building demolished.
- The then No. (1) and No. (2) said that they did not give orders for the two sad events.
- Some people reported hearing strange sounds and seeing strange images in or near the residence halls (e.g. Mandalay Hall). Some believe that there might be ghosts.
1963
- There were pamphlets and Sar Saungs commemorating the anniversary of 7th July.
- The higher authorities gave ultimatum to the hostel students to leave.
- All classes except those from the Faculty of Medicine and the Faculty of Engineering were closed.
- Final exams were held locally (e.g. at State High Schools).
- The schools were reopened in November 1964 under a new Education System.
1964
- The use of Intelligence Level Aggregate (ILA) system and the 3 NRC rule created a Tier System among the Once Equal Disciplines.
- A sayagyi told his students, “If all of you go to medical and engineering, there will not be talent left to cover other important fields.”
- There were some exceptions. Dr. Min Oo (in 1963) and Dr. Zaw Win (a few years later) stood Second in the whole of Burma in Matric. They chose to study Maths and received their Doctorates from Germany. Dr. Min Oo retired from McMasters University in Canada. He earlier taught in Germany and in the US as a visiting professor. Dr. Zaw Win is GBNF.
Mid-1960s
- Nationalization of Schools took place on April 1, 1965.
- “Burmese Way to Socialism (Despotism, Nepotism)” created 2nd and 3rd Class Citizens.
- Shortage of rice (unheard of in the “Rice Bowl of Asia”) caused unease. The problem was redirected to create a riot known as “Tayoke Bama Ah Yay Ah Khinn” တရုပ်ဗမာ အရေးအခင်း
1974

U Thant Ah Yay Ah Khin
- “U Thant Ah Yay Ah Khin” ဦးသန့်အရေးအခင်း can be read in a book with rare photos. Htein Win Sar Pay ထိန်ဝင်းစာပေ has published books about the two Ah Yay Ah Khinn in 1974 and 1988. Ko Khin Maung Zaw mailed me a copy of “U Thant Ah Yay Ah Khinn”. At the 5th ILF (Irrawaddy Literary Festival), Ko Htein Win gave me a copy of the 8-8-88 Ah Yay Ah Khinn.
Late 1980s

1988
- There were several more closure of the schools.
- Many students lost three precious years of their lives (1988, 1989 and 1990). There were no classes, exams and Convocation for the three years. The 1st BE Intake of 1983 graduated in 1992. Those who failed the 6th BE in 1987 had to repeat again in 1991.
- Some, who witnessed the events in March and August of 1988, had a long wait before they could freely express their experiences.
- In August 1988, Dr. Tin Aung (Physics) and U Tun Aung Chain (History) were in the US as members of the Burmese Education Delegation. Dr. Tin Aung was elected in abstentia as a Patron / Nayaka နာယက of the “Sayas and Sayamas from All Universities and Institutes” Ah Phwe အဖွဲ့ supporting the 8-8-88 movement. Upon his return to Burma, Dr. Tin Aung was forced to resign.
  When Dr. Tin Aung’s pacemaker needed replacement, his former students from Myanmar and Overseas donated for his health expenses.
Dr. Tin Aung
June 12, 2026
69ers
by Hla Min

Updated : June 2026

69er towel

Highlights

Guinea Pigs of Education System
- Last 7th Std Government exam in 1960
- First HSF Only exam in 1962; Those from Rangoon had to take exams in March & August
- Matric Only exam in 1963; My older brother entered Yankin College in 1957 after passing 9th Std (HSF & Matric) exam.
- Attended last ever I.Sc(A)
- Admitted to 2nd BE in Nov 1964
- Graduated with BE (a few with BArch) in 1969
Long After Graduation
- First major Reunion in 1999
- Anniversary Reunions in 2009, 2014 and 2019
- Except for pause during pandemic, Monthly Breakfast Gathering (usually at Taw Win Hnin Si)
Jara, Byadi & Marana
- Over 40% are GBNF
- Remaining 69ers try to be active physically, mentally & spiritually.
- Two are Sayadaws: Ashin Ukkamsa & Ashin Pannagavesaka
- Many hosted and/or attended Monthly Breakfast Gatherings.
- One gathering had a record of nine hosts.
- Gifts — 69er towel, 69er mug, 69er cap, 69er hat, 69er pen, medicine — are given at selected gatherings; Albert & company gave out towels; Millie was represented by her cousin; Kyaw Zin was represented by his elder daughter; Fred gave some gifts via 69ers that visited USA (e.g Kyaw Nyunt)
69er mug

69er cap

69er cap
- Some donated and/ or joined virtually (via Zoom or Messenger).
Will go on Sharing & Charing

until the Last 69er
- The following gives an account of 69ers & their gatherings.
- Need input, feedback & suggestions to have a comprehensive album.
Donors & Volunteers
- Aung Min (M) is Chair of 69er Health Care Fund. He & his team organized 69er events. They have updated Contact List several times.
Aung Min (Right)
- Myint Myint, Ivan & Sein Myint are major donors. Others (e.g Mehm Aye Chan) make recurring and lump sum donations.
Myint Myint

Ivan (Right)

Sein Myint (2nd from Right)
- There are many unsung heros. Despite having limitations due to an injury at work, Ko Shwe drove long distance to collect donations.
Ko Shwe (3rd from Left)
- Others visited 69ers in hospitals & homes (e.g to aid health care or offer Kutho donation).
1964 – 65
- About 320 were admitted to 2nd BE in Nov 1964
- Most graduated in 1969.
- Luyechun program started in 1964 for high school & middle school. The program was expanded in 1965 for Universities & Institutes.
2nd BE (1964 – 65)

LYC (Summer of 65)

See also
- From BIT to YTU
- Luyechun
- Memories of a 69er
- RIT Days
1966 – 69

Tennis
- Inter-Institute Trophy winners
- Kyaw Nyunt (M, GBNF)
- Than Htay (EE)
- …
RIT Tennis

Kyaw Nyunt (2nd from Left)

Badminton
- Inter-Institute Trophy winners
- Sai Kham Pan (EP) : Burma Selected
- Bishnu (EP, GBNF)
- Myint Sein (M, GBNF)
- …
RIT Badminton 1

RIT Badminton 2

Sai Kham Pan

Track & Field
- Aung Gyi Shwe (EP, GBNF) : Secretary
- Margaret (Khin Than Myint Tin)
- Myo Nyunt (C) : Joint Secretary — for Henry Khin Maung Lay (T68)
- …
Aung Gyi Shwe (Standing Left)

Myo Nyunt

Swimming & Water Polo
- Htay Aung (M) : Burma Selected; Fifth SEAP Games
- Hla Kyaing (M)
- Han Sein (C, GBNF)
- Jimmy Kyin (T, GBNF)
- Sein Myint (EP)
- Swan Kong (?)
- Win Maung (Lake)
- Moe Hein (ChE)
- …
Htay Aung

RIT Crosslake Swimmers

Rowing
- Chit Po Po (M, GBNF)
- Hla Min (EC) : Treasurer & Vice Captain of RUBC
- Sein Myint (EP)
- Win Maung (Lake)
- Win Naing (Dicky, M, GBNF) : recruited David, Fred, Ohn Mg & Sein Tun
- …
Chit Po Po

Win Naing (Dicky)

Sein Myint, Hla Min, Tin Myint

Table Tennis
- Tin Myint (John, M, GBNF) : also Luyechun for 4th BE
- …
Tin Myint

Basketball
- Han Sein (C, GBNF)
- Soe Win (EP, GBNF) : RIT Captain
- Tommy (EP, GBNF)
- Lyo Kyin Sein
- …
Body Building & Weightlifting
- Aung Gyi Shwe (EP, GBNF) : also T&F, Soccer
- Jimmy Kyin (T, GBNF) : also Swimming & Water Polo
- Khin Win (EP, GBNF)
- …
Chinlon
- Tin Shein (M)
- Htin Aung (C)
- …
Thaing
- Tin Tun (M, GBNF) : Secretary
- Tun Aung Gyaw (EC) : Jt. Secretary
- …
Hiking & Mountaineering
- Win Lwin (M)
- …
Engg Associations
- Hla Myint Thein (C) — Secretary
- Myo Khin (C) — Secretary
- Mehm Ye Win (EC) — Secretary
- Hla Min (EC) — Secretary & Hlyat Sit Sar Saung
- Aye Lwin (M) — Secretary & RIT Annual Magazine
- …
Myo Khin (3rd), Hla Myint Thein (Right)

Ah Nu Pyinnya Ah Thin
- Taing Oke (ChE) — Zat Saya
- Kyaw Htin (T) — Lu Shwin Daw
- Than Myaing (M) — Violin
- Tin Maung Aye (M) — Accordion
- …
Taing Oke

Floor : Robert, Han Sein, Aye Lwin; Seated : Alice, David, Uzin, Tin Mg Aye, Albert, Aung Min; Standing : Lake, Oscar, Harry, Khin Ng Gyi, Allan, Mehm Aye Chan, Walter. Win Lwin, Ngwe Tun, Myo Nyunt, Aung Gyi Shwe

Writers
- Aung Myint (Pet) : Kyant Ba Hone (Cartoon); Tech & Edu Notes
- Taing Oke : Yin Maung; National Literary Award
- Tin Htut (Harry, M) : Mon Yu
- Win Thein Zaw : Wai Lu
- …
Kyant

Wai Lu

69ers at Inya
- Nay Win, Yee Pin, Khin Mg Gyi & Chit Po Po are GBNF
69ers at Inya

See also
- Activities
- Celebrations
- Publications
- RIT & Burma Selected
- Sports
EE69
- See post with annotations by Thein Swe (GBNF, Luyechun for 3rd BE) & me
EE69

Ko Shwe (L), Thein Swe (R)

Graduates
- Mostly Mech
- Aung Thu Yein (E), Kyaw Than (Met?), Nay Win (M), Khin Maung Gyi (M) & Toby (A) are some of the GBNF
- Most worked for government and industry. Some joined the Faculty. A few worked for private & family business. Some went overseas.
Grads

A69

See also
- 69er — Memories
- Then & Now
- How Time Flies
1970 – 1998
- There were no formal Reunions.
- Most were busy with their work and family.
- In the mid 1990s, Danny discussed with some friends about a 69er Reunion.
1999
- 30th Anniversary of Graduation; See Danny’s post about the event
- I started “RIT Alumni Newsletter”; See my posts
Newsletter

2000
- First RIT Alumni Reunion and Saya Pu Zaw Pwe (SPZP-2000) in the SF Bay Area : Oct 29 – 30, 2000 ; See posts about SPZP-2000
- I was an Organizer & Chief Editor of the special issue of “RIT Alumni Newsletter”
- (First) Alumni Appreciation Award received at SPZP-2000; Also given to KMZ (webmaster) & Maurice (core organizer)
- Tint Lwin (Danny, M), Tin Myint (John, M), Lyo Kyin Sein (Mabel, T), Mg Toung (Tom, EC) & Myo Khin (C) attended SPZP-2000. Danny came from Singapore. John & Mabel live in Union City, California. Tom came from Connecticut. Myo Khin & Winsome (C73) came from Japan.
SPZP-2000 Organizers

SPZP-2000 attendees

2009
- 40th Anniversary of Graduation; See post for the event
- Group photos : Electrical, Mechanical, Civil, Textile, Chemical
Electrical

Mech

Civil

Textile & Chemical

2014
- 50th Anniversary of RIT; See post about the event
- Pseudo Golden Jubilee for 69ers
GJ of Admission

2015
- Myint Myint (C) hosted a Welcome Lunch Gathering at Western Park for Nyunt Nyunt Wai (Millie, T)
Welcome Millie in 2015
- Six 69ers at Ivan’s house. Ivan hosted annual RIT-UCC gathering for over a decade. Eventually, MASTAA was established with Ivan as CEO.
2016
- (Second) Alumni Appreciation Award at the Birthday Soon Kyway Gathering in August; Organized by Maurice Chee (M75); Most attendees from California
Award 1
- (Third) Appreciation Award at NorCal RITAA Annual Dinner in September
Award 2
- SPZP-2016
- Gathering — Welcome Sein Myint & me; Farewell to Tint Lwin
Gathering

2017
- Monthly Gatherings
- Ad hoc Gatherings
- Annual Gathering
BFG 1

2018
- Monthly Gatherings
- Ad hoc Gatherings
- Annual Gatheting
BFG 2017

BFG 2018

2019

Golden Jubilee of Graduation
- Home coming for Tin Tin (Ann)
GJ

2020 – 2021
- SPZP-2000 canceled due to Pandemic
- Several 69ers & family members succumbed to Covid
- Gatherings put on hold
2022

December

Tin Shwe

2023

August

September 2023

အလှူရှင်
- ဦးငွေထွန်း၊
- ဦးတင်ရှိန်၊
- ဦးသန်းဝင်း၊
- ဦးချမ်းငြိမ်း၊
- ဒေါ်ခင်သန်းမြင့်တင်၊
- ဦးစောမြင့်နိုင်၊
- ဦးဖေဟန်ထွန်း
- U Zaw Win (Thailand)
- Albert Kyaw Min
Dear RIT 69++friends

ဖိတ်ကြားအပ်ပါတယ်

September breakfast gathering သို့ မပျက်မကွက် ကြွရောက်ကြပါခင်ဗျား။

တော်ဝင်နှင်းဆီ / ၂၄/၉/၂၀၂၃ (တနင်္ဂနွေ) ၊ ၇:၀၀ မှ ၈:၃၀ နာရီ မှာဆုံကြမယ်။

ကိုငွေထွန်း၊ကိုသန်းဝင်း၊ကိုတင်ရှိန်၊ကိုစောမြင့်နိုင်၊ကိုဖေဟန်ထွန်း၊ကိုချမ်းငြိမ်း၊မာဂရက်၊Albertနှင့် ကိုဇော်ဝင်း(ထိုင်း) ပေါင်း ၉ ဦးတို့က အာဟာရ ဒါန ပြုကြပါမယ်။နီး/ဝေး/ပြည်ပ သူငယ်ချင်းများရဲ့ စေတနာပါ။ကြွလာချီးမြှင့်ဖို့ ထပ်မံတိုက်တွန်းပါရစေ။

စားပြီးရင် ၉၃ နှစ်ပြည့် ဆရာ ဦးဘသန်းအား သွားရောက် ဂါရဝ ပြုပါမယ်။ဆရာနေကောင်းပါတယ် အပြော နဲ့ သတိ အားနည်းလာပြီ။အလှူငွေများကို နောက်ဆုံးအချိန်ထိ လက်ခံပေးသွားပါ့မယ်။လိုက်ပါလိုသူ အကန့်အသတ်မရှိပါ။

2025

June

KMT

KMT 2

Roland, Oscar, Albert

Four Young-at-heart

Myo Nyunt

Request
- Please share your memories
- Please add captions
- Please provide corrections
- မ ပြီး သေး သော ပန်း ချီ ကား
June 11, 2026
Souvenirs
by Hla Min

Updated : June 2026

Golden Jubilee

Present from KMZ

Birthday Wishes

Birthday Wishes
- Maurice Chee (M75) organized a Birthday Soon Kyway at Dhammananda Vihara, Half Moon Bay on August 20, 2016.
- He prepared electronic & hard copy of the birthday wishes.
Awards & Birthday Cards
- Another set was for attendees, who had not sent wishes by e-mail.
- Thanks to the sayas, colleagues and friends for a memorable gathering.
Appreciation from Alumni in US & Canada
- Sayagyi Dr. Aung Gyi could not attend the soonkyway, but he requested Maurice to donate a food dish for him & his family.
  Sayagyi’s message was read by Maurice.
- Saya U Myat Htoo (C68) presented the appreciation award at Half Moon Bay soonkwyay and gathering.
Appreciation Award

From NorCal RITAA Dinner in Dec 2016
- Alumni Appreciation Award was signed by Saya U Myat Htoo (C68, Chair, BOD), Gordon Kaung (M83, President) and U Thaung Nyunt (M87, Secretary).
Award 2
- Saya U Myat Htoo presented the award to me at the NorCal RITAA Annual Dinner, 2016.
From SPHS in 1963

There were five Paulians in the Top Five, seven in the Top Ten, and ten in the Top Twenty. They received Collegiate Scholarship.

SPHS63
- Dr. Khin Maung U (Retired from FDA, USA) – 1st
- Dr. Min Oo (Retired Maths Professor in Canada) – 2nd
- Dr. Myo San (Freddie, Surgeon, GBNF) – 3rd
- Dr. Nyunt Wai (Victor, Professor in IM & Malaysia) – 4th
- Dr. Thein Wai (Migrated to USA after graduation) – 5th
- U Hla Min (Retired Software Engineer) – 7th
7th place
- Dr. Aung Kyaw Zaw (Cardiologist) – 9th
- U Maung Maung Kyi (Dip Ing, GBNF) – 11th
- U Aung Thu Yein (Brownie, EC69, GBNF) – 13th
- Dr. Khin Maung Zaw (Frank, Retired Doctor in UK) – 17th
From Toastmasters International

DTM 1

DTM 2

Hall of Fame

Awards
- CC (Competent Communicator)
- ACB (Advanced Communicator Bronze)
- ACS (Advanced Communicator Silver)
- ACG (Advanced Communicator Gold)
- CL (Competent Leader)
- ALB (Advanced Leader Bronze)
- ALS (Advanced Leader Silver)
- DTM (Distinguished Toastmaster)
I served as
- Club Officer
- Area Governor
- Club Coach
- Contest Chair
- Ambassador
- Guest Speaker
- Test Speaker
- Team Builder (for Excellent Leadership)
MP3 players

Mug & CD Player

Dhamma Talks & Lectures
- Received MP3 player with dhamma talks from U Khin Maung Tun, SDYF President
  at 2015 RIT Alumni Reunion in Los Angeles
Also received MP3 players from
- Saya U Tin Maung Nyunt
- My sisters
- Dhamma friends
Each player has Paritta Pali (protective verses) and dhamma talks by different sayadaws.

From my Life Savers

Coffee mug with photos

My beloved grandchildren gave it as present for Grand Father’s Day

Books

Dhamma & Bawa

For writing, translating, editing or proof-reading

I edited or proof-read books written by
- Sayadaws (U Silananda, U Jotalankara)
- Sayas (Des Rodgers)
- Friends (U Aung Zaw).
  
  They provided me copies of their books.
Book Presents

I received books from others. They include
- “Life Journey of Maths Professor U Ba Toke” : autographed copy
U Ba Toke
- “Myanmar in my life-time”
  by BBS U Khin Zaw — air mailed from Australia by U Wint Khin Zaw
Book by U Khin Zaw
- Book honoring Dr. Thane Oke Kyaw Myint — air mailed from Australia by Dr. TOKM
TOKM
- Centennial for U Khin Maung Latt & Daw Khin Myo Chit —
  Two books by Junior Win
- Books by U Ye Sint (former Editor of Dhammananda Newsletter) : His works; Pathan Dethana (Dhamma Dana by his siblings)
- U Kesala (Chief Resident monk, Alodaw Pyie Monastery in Arizona) : Dhamma Q&A; Several other books
- “Nga Doh Khit Ka Tekkatho”
  by Shwe Ky May Hnin —
  Given to me at San Francisco Bay Area Talk
Book by Shwe Ku May Hnin
- Books by Saya U Moe Aung (Tekkatho Moe War) —Collection of Poems; Collection of Articles
Saya Moe
- Book by Saya U Nyunt Htay —
  Collection of Swel Daw Poems
RIT Poets
- Books by Nyan Oo Maung
  (aka Mudita Shwe Kyaung Sayadaw U Nyanika)
- Books by various sayadaws in Bay Area & beyond : Beelin Sayadaw, U Dhammapiya, U Gosita, Dhamma Bheri Sayadaw, Aung San Tat Oo Sayadaw, Thamanay Kyaw
- Books by Dr. San Oo, Daw Than Yi and family
- “Yahandar and Poke Ko Htoo Myar” by Dhammacariya U Htay Hlaing — in the 80’s for translating several of his “Dhamma Duta” articles
- Books by Sayawun Tin Shwe
  — Given by his daughter Tyn Tyn Aye during her UCC studies
- U Khin Maung Zaw (KMZ) mailed me two books that he bought in Myanmar : U Thant Ah Yay Ah Khin, Collection Bagan poems (by Zawgyi, translated by Ah May Thar).
- Saya U Tin Maung Nyunt believes in a revolving library.
  Gave me several books that he enjoyed reading.
- 8-8-88 by Dat Pone Htein Win — Received at 5th ILF
- Books by Members of Professional Spakers Association (PSA) : Kyaw Kyaw Hlaing, Kaythri Kyaw …
Publications

Contributing Editor for “90th Anniversary Issue of the Founding of RUBC” (2013)

Wrote articles and/ or poems for
- Guardian
- Working People’s Daily
- Forward Magazine
- Veda Magazine
- Pan Magazine
- Encyclopedia of Asian American Folklore and Folklife
Encyclopedia
- BAPS Newsletter
- RIT Alumni Newsletter (Special issue for SPZP-2000)
Newsletter
- “Swel Daw Yeik Sar Saung” for SPZP-2002, SPZP-2007 & SPZP-2010
SDY Sar Saung
- “Swel Daw Yeik Magazine” for Shwe YaDu
SDY Magazine

U Ohn Khine (M70) and I compiled the CD supplement for HMEE-2012.

CDs

Received raw and formal CDs and DVDs for the various RIT Gatherings.

DVD
June 11, 2026
It seemed not long ago
by Hla Min

Updated : June 2026

SF Bay Area Alumni Group

Alumni Group
- Standing:
  Saya U Maung Maung (George, ChE66), U Hla Min (EC69), Saya U Thein Aung (James, Met72), Saya Dr. Nyo Win (K H Chen, M65), Saya U Myat Htoo (C68), Benny Tan (Tan Yu Beng, M70)
- Seated :
  U Kaung Kaung Oo (Gordon, M83), Saya Allen Htay (C58, GBNF), Saya Dr. Tin Aung (K C Chiu, ChE63), Maurice Chee (U Hla Myint Thein, M75)
- Photographer : U Khin Maung Zaw (KMZ, EC76)
Founding Members
- Met at Benny’s house several times
- Discussed the formation of “RIT Alumni International” to support the Newsletter and web site
- Decided to hold a Grand Reunion and SPZP in October 2000
SPZP-2000
- Served as members of the Working Committee and Steering Committee for SPZP-2000
Saya Allen Htay (GBNF)

Saya Allen
- Leader of the group
- President of “RIT Alumni International”, which organized the First RIT Grand Reunion and Saya Pu Zaw Pwe in San Francisco, California, USA in October 2000.
- His classic article, “Brother, can you afford US $500?” was partly responsible for five Golden Sponsors, and the generous donations by sayas and alumni.
- Retired three times. His former students U Thein Aung & U Myat Htoo coaxed him to un-retire twice.
Saya Allen’s grandsons
- Saya did not recover from a debilitating stroke. Did not live long enough to spend time with his grand children. One grandson had “Allen” as his first name. Another had “Allen” as his middle name.
Saya K C Chiu (Dr. Tin Aung)

Saya K C
- Brother of Saya Dr. Aung Soe (C61)
- Past President of BEA
- After retirement, he relocated to Southern California.
- He wrote : In early ‘80, Dr. Tin Win was working in Houston and came to the Bay Area on business trip. Dr. Tin Win was visiting me at home while Lily and I were discussing BEA matter. I believed they were meant for each other. The rest is history.
Saya Dr. Nyo Win (K H Chen)

Saya Nyo
- Past President of BAPS
- Core Organizer for SPZP-2000
- Founding member of NorCal RITAA and served as a member BOD (Board of Directors)
- Retired after working in high technology companies in the Silicon Valley & Taiwan
Saya U Maung Maung (George)

Saya George (Left)
- Founding member of NorCal RITAA and served as the inaugural President.
- Organized a fund raiser for the “Staff Training” component of “YTU Library Modernization”.
Saya U Myat Htoo (C68)

U Myat Htoo
- Past President of Theravada Buddhist Society of America (TBSA)
- Past President of Burmese American Democratic Alliance (BADA)
- Founding member of NorCal RITAA; Served three terms as Chair, BOD of NorCal RITAA
- Co-emcee of SPZP-2000
- Plays the ukelele and piano. A favorite song is theparody of “Lost Neikban”.
U Hla Min (Life Long Learner)

Hla Min
- Completed 26 years as Founder and Chief Editor of “RIT Alumni International Newsletter”
- Editor and Content Provider of RIT Alumni websites
- Chose to re-tire (re-thread) rather than retire (per Steeve’s suggestion)
- Decided to pay back to his alma mater(s): RIT and UCC (per advice of spouse, sayas, colleagues & friends)
- Wrote 40+ postings of “Memories of UCC” in three days during his vacation to Myanmar.
- Owner, Admin and Moderator of hlamin.com web site & several Facebook groups.
Screenshot
- Broadcast 220+ Educational Videos on selected topics. Channel for YouTube is @hmin3664
Benny Tan (Tan Eu Beng)

Benny (Right)
- Succeeded Dr. Nyo Win as President of BAPS.
- Successful entrepreneur.
- Multiple Golden Sponsor of SPZPs.
- Designed the banner and mementos for SPZP-2000.
- Now spending quality time with six grand children and taking trips & cruises around the world.
Saya U Thein Aung (James)

Set Hmu Maung
- Mr. RIT in 1968. His mentor was Commander Maung Maung (Mr. Burma in 1947). A few years back, he handed over the “Sa-Lwe” for Mr. RIT68) to U Wynn Htain Oo (M72).
- Co-emcee of SPZP-2000
- Contributing Editor for BAPS Newsletter
- Associate Editor of the Commemorative Issue of RIT Alumni Newsletter
Maurice Chee (Hla Myint Thein)

Maurice
- Succeeded Benny as President of BAPS.
- Wore multiple hats for SPZP-2000. Co-Chair of the Working Committee with Benny; Financial Controller; Published the commemorative issue of “RIT Alumni Newsletter”; Did name tags; Coordinated the culinary experts for the follow-up lunch gathering.
- Founding member & Past Vice President of NorCal RITAA.
- In August 2016, he organized the Soon Kway gathering at Dhammananda Vihara, Half Moon Bay for my birthday and to recognize my volunteer work.
U Khin Maung Zaw (KMZ)

KMZ (Second from Right)

UCC-RIT Gathering
- Belongs to three circles — St. Paul’s High School, RIT and and UCC — like Saya U Soe Paing and me.
- Took the group photo
- Designed and implemented http://www.ex-rit.org website, which contributed to the planning & implementation of SPZP-2000. Many contributed to “Count down to the Reunion” and “Post Reunion” pages. I wrote 64 posts for “Count down to the Reunion” and 36 posts for “Post Reunion”.
- Was then an eligible bachelor; Worked four 10-hour days & had a three day weekend
- His RIT web site was largely responsible for the success of SPZP-2000. Promised to have Version 2.0 of the web (with better features). Could not fulfill his promise.
- Luckily for him, he moved to the challenging and lucrative job at Microsoft, and also became blessed with a wonderful family.
U Kaung Kaung Oo (Gordon Kaung)

Gordon (Center)
- Youngest member of the group
- Founded “Mechanical Solutions” in San Francisco
- He and his spouse Lillian Kaung (EC83) later set up iNapa Winery & hosted RIT-related gatherings. The Winery survived two fires.
- Founding member of NorCal RITAA; Succeeded U Maung Maung as President
NorCal RIT Alumni Association
- Donated Premium Wine bottles for selected events (e.g. the Annul Dinner and Summer Picnic for NorCal RITAA, 2005 RIT Alumni Reunion in Los Angeles).
June 11, 2026
Paying back to my alma mater
by Hla Min

Updated : June 2026
- Studied five years at RIT from 1964 to 1969
- Have spent 27 years (from 1999) paying back to my alma mater & my mentors
- Thanks to my family members for their support.
1963

SPHS63
- Received award given by SPHS for passing Matriculation (7th in Burma)
  Won Collegiate Scholarship
7th in Matriculation examination of 1963
- Attended the last ever I.Sc.(A) at Leik Khone
- Senior Novices Runner-up at RUBC Monsoon Regatta with Willie Soe Maung (Stroke, GBNF), Kyaw Wynn (3), Maung Maung Kyi (Bow, GBNF) & Myint Thein (Cox, GBNF)
- Attended RUBC 40th Anniversary Dinner hosted by Sithu U Tin (President, GBNF) at Kandawgyi
- Received Full Green
1964 – 1969
- Admitted to the first ever 2nd BE in November 1964 as the Top Student
2nd BE
- Selected RIT Luyechun in the Summer of 1965 and attended the LYC Camp at Inlay Khaung Daing.
Luyechun
- Joint Secretary, Secretary & Magazine Committee, RIT EE Association
RIT EE
- Treasurer and Vice Captain, RUBC
- Editor, Newsletter published by RIT English Association
- Started free lance writing (article, poem, translation …)
- My poem “Men on the Moon” was published in the Guardian in July 1969
Poem

1970 – 1998
- Generation Zero member of UCC (Universities’ Comouter Center)
  Hardware & Software Engineer
  Senior Systems Programmer
  Manager, Business Applications
UCC
- Senior Lecturer, Computer Science, DCS (Department of Computer Science)
- Associate Professor, Software Technology, ICST (Institute of Computer Science and Technology)
- Worked for several high tech companies in Silicon Valley
1999

Newsletter

Chief Editor, RIT Alumni Newsletter
- Started “RIT Alumni International Newsletter”
- It started with the news and photos of some gatherings back in Burma. (a) 30th Anniversary of the Graduation of the Class of 69 [reported by Ko Daniel Tint Lwin and Ma Saw Yu Tint (Alice). (b) Mini-gathering with Sayagyi Dr. Aung Gyi and other sayas and senior alumni (reported by Saya U Soe Paing)
2000

SPZP-2000
- SPZP-2000
  First RIT Grand Reunion and SPZP in San Francisco, USA
  Core Organizer
- Content Provider & Editor for the First RIT Web Site designed and implemented y KMZ / Khin Maung Zaw (EC76)
- Special Web Pages for SPZP-2000
- Commemorative Issue of the Newsletter for SPZP-2000
  Chief Editor)
  Composed “SAYA PUZAW PWE” poem
- 64 Countdown to the Reunion posts
- 36 Post-Reunion posts
2002
- SPZP-2002
  Second RIT Grand Reunion and SPZP in Singapore
- Commemorative Issue of “Swel Daw Yeik Sar Saung”
  by Saya U Moe Aung and team
  Reprinted my “SAYA PUZAW PWE” poem as Back Cover
2004
- SPZP-2004
  Third RIT Grand Reunion and SPZP in Yangon
- Mild earthquake did not rattle the attendees
2007
- SPZP-2007
  Fourth RIT Grand Reunion and SPZP in Singapore
- Commemorative Issue of “Swel Daw Yeik Sar Saung”
  by Saya U Moe Aung and team
  Contributed a poem “SWE DAW YEIK”
2010
- SPZP-2010
  Fifth RIT Grand Reunion and SPZP in Singapore
- Commemorative Issue of “Swel Daw Yeik Sar Saung”
  by Saya U Moe Aung and team
  Contributed an article “Sad and short clip — EE sayas”
2012
- SPZP-2012
  Sixth RIT Grand Reunion and SPZP in Yangon
  Traveled twice (in March and December) to help with the SPZP
- True “Home Coming” in the Gyogone Campus
With Steeve Kay (Multiple Golden Sponsor of SPZPs)
- Special publication : History of University Engineering Education in Burma/Myanmar by Saya U Aung Hla Tun and team. Ko Ohn Khine (M70) and I prepared the supplemental CD for the book.
- Special publication: Selected RIT Cartoons
- Commemorative Issue of “Swel Daw Yeik Magazine” by U Saw Lin and team
- Reprints: Limited number of RIT Annual Magazines
2013
- Swel Daw Yeik Foundation
- Contributions for various projects
- Health care for the sayas and sayamas
- “Saya Geha” as long term project
- Contributing Editor
  RUBC 90th Anniversary Souvenir Magazine
2014

Shwe YaDu Lan
- Shwe YaDu
- 50th Anniversary of the opening of RIT in 1964
- Planted 50 Swel Daw Bins
- Commemorative Issue of “Swel Daw Yeik Magazine” by Saya U Moe Aung and team; I wrote an article “Recollections of a 69er”
Memories of a 69er (published in Swel Daw Yeik Magazine in 2014)
- Paved Shwe YaDu lane and set up Swel Daw Yeik benches
- Translated Saya U Moe Aung’s Shwe YaDu poem
2016
- RIT/YIT/YTU Alumni Association
  Life Member
- SPZP-2016
  Seventh RIT Grand Reunion and SPZP in Yangon
- 10000+ attendees
- Free food and fun (all day and all night long)
- Platinum Jubilee for the Class of 69
  Hosted by some 69ers for their friends (in their sunset)
Alumni Appreciation Award (received for the second time)
- Soonkway at Half Moon Bay Monastery (organized by U Maurice Chee)
  Received Alumni Appreciation Award from alumni worldwide
- Annual Dinner by Northern California RIT Alumni Association
  Received plaque signed by Saya U Myat Htoo (Chair, BOD), U Kaung Kaung Oo (Gordon, President), and U Thaung Nyunt (Secretary)
Alumni Appreciation Award (received for the third time)
- Attended SPZP-2016 and Platinum Jubilee of the Class of 69
SPZP-2016

2017
- Attended Post-SPZP2016 Gatherings
- Award
  Distinguished Toastmaster
DTM

2018
- Memories of UCC
  40+ posts
- Trivia : 1000+ posts (on going)
  Several readers said that the posts are more than Trivia
- Archived newsletters and posts in my website
  hlamin.com
2019
- Panelist, 5th Irrawaddy Literary Festival
ILF
- Golden Jubilee, RIT 69ers
GJ
- Attended several gatherings and Acariya Pu Zaw Pwes
2020
- Invited to join the PSA 2020 Tour to Upper Burma
- Broadcast Short talks (Videos)
  Archived in Facebook and Youtube
- Moderator & Contributor
  RU Centennial Facebook Group
2021 – 2023
- Due to pandemic, outdoor activities were put on hold
- Overseas travel required certificate of Covid vaccine
- Revise articles
- Write new articles
- Short Trips to Singapore, Thailand & Laos
2024 – present
- In 2024, we celebrated (a) Centennial of Engineering Education in Burma / Myanmar (b) 60th Anniversary of RIT (c) Silver Jubilee of RIT Alumni Newsletter
- In 2025, updating posts.
- My educational videos can be accessed from YouTube. Search for @hmin3664
Screenshot
June 11, 2026
UCC Gatherings

by Hla Min

Updated : June 2026

At Saya U Soe Paing’s house

Saya U Soe Paing’s house

Over the years, I attended several mini-gatherings and gatherings hosted by UCC sayas and alumni.

Saya U Soe Paing hosted gatherings (usually dinner meeting) at his house. Sayagadaw Daw Saw Yu Tint (T69) was my class mate. She also attended CPC course.

U Thein Oo, Daw Tin May Lwin and several others help organize the gatherings. U Thein Oo, U Htin Kyaw, Aung Aung and several others provide transportation to or from Saya’s house.

40th Anniversary

There was fun and laughter at UCC’s 40th Anniversary Gathering.

ICST SPZP

In January 14, 2018, I attended the 5th UCSY Acariya Pu Zaw Pwe as “Generation Zero” representative and the “Most Senior” (not by age). Several attendees started their studies and/or careers at UCC.

Saw Yan Naing, son of Dr. Saw Naing (Wesley, SPHS59), gave me a ride to the Pu Zaw Pwe. SYN is a nephew of Dr Myo Khin. He is a cousin of Soe Lin Maung (UCC).

Gatherings in USA

Dr. Rafiul Ahad, Ko Khin Zaw,, Ko Aung Myint Oo & Ma Thida Khin, Ko Sein Myint & Sao Mon Sint (Cindy) and Ko Toung hosted UCC gatherings (especially to welcome and alumni visiting US). Ivan Lee hosts an annual joint gathering for UCC and RIT sayas and alumni at his home in New Jersey.

Gatherings in Singapore

Ko Tin Aung Win, Ko Zaw Tun and Pale Shein organized buffet gatherings. Ko Aung Aung & Ma Kyin Mya are regulars at the gatherings. Some have moved to Thailand and Myanmar.

Gatherings in Australia

Sydney

Saya U Aung Zaw (GBNF), Ko Sein Myint Maung & Khin Aye Mu, Ko Htay Aung & Tin Tin Hlaing organized the gatherings. I met Thandar Htwe Htwe and Khin May Thet.

Ko Sein Tin created a short music video during my visit to Oz in 2006.

June 11, 2026