Category: Burma

Paying respect

Paying respect to Sayas for their metta & cetana is a tradition that is unique to Burma / Myanmar. The tradition is alive and well.

Saya Pu Zaw Pwes

There have been seven world wide SPZPs :

• SPZP-2000 (USA) : hosted by RIT Alumni International

• SPZP-2002, SPZP-2007, SPZP-2010 (Singapore) : hosted by RIT sayas & alumni in Singapore
• SPZP-2004, SPZP-2012, SPZP-2016 (Yangon) : hosted by RIT sayas & alumni in Myanmar
• SPZP-2000 was cancelled due to the pandemic.

Alumni

Many alumni are active in the following:

• SDYF (Swel Daw Yeik Foundation)
• RITAA (RIT-YIT-YTU Alumni Association)
• MES (Myanmar Engineering Society)
• MEC (Myanmar Engineering Council)

HMEE

“History of University Engineering Education in Burma/Myanmar” (HMEE-2012) was published in time for SPZP-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 (including Yours Truly) compiled the book.
• The draft for the first two sections were prepared by Saya U Soe Paing and team.
• Ko Ohn Khine (M70) translated Section 1 and summarized Section 2.
• Ko Ohn Khine’s translations have been revised by Saya U Soe Paing.

• Saya U Aung Hla Tun suggests that the Book is due for revision/update every five years (or so).
• Several meetings have been held for HMEE-2018 (follow up project to HMEE-2012 mentioned above.

YTU Library Modernization Project

• Donations — large and small — are coming in.
• U Khin Maung Tun (T78), Daw Myint Myint (C69), Saya Dr. Myo Khin (C70) and Daw Mya Nwe (Winsome, C73), Saya U Tin Htut (M60) … donated K100 Lakhs each (or more) for the Project.
• Thanks to Ma Nan Khin Nwe (83 Intake) and team. The team had incrementally published the list of donors.
• Phase One : The construction for adding a storey is completed.

Archives

• The YTU Library could/should 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.
• I have requested several class representatives to record (both formally and informally) their gatherings.

HCF (Health Care Funds)

• Steeve and Helen Kay Health Care Fund for RIT Sayas
• U Khin Maung Tun and family Fund for Vision Care
• Swel Daw Yeik Foundation
• Others : by discipline and/or class

Accreditation

We would be glad to hear about the progress of the Accreditation …

RIT related Facebook pages and web sites

• hlamin.com
• RIT Updates
• Swel Daw Yeik Foundation
• RIT-YIT-YTU Alumni Association
• NorCal RITAA
• Google Group for Combined 1st BE Intake of 64 and 65
• Google Group for RIT Updates

Tribute to ASSK by

• Tin Moe
• Min Thu Wun
• Bhamo Tin Aung
• Hanthawaddy U Win Tin

Burmese Language

• Myanmar Sagar — Spoken Burmese
  Predates the written language
• Myanmar Sar — Written language
  First appeared as the fourth and final language of the Mya Zedi Kyauksar (stone inscription).
  An early Indo-Tibetan script was used to write Burmese.

Burmese Department

• The Department of Oriental Studies at Rangoon University gave degree courses in Pali.
• Saya U Pe Maung Tin requested to have a Burmese Department as a sub-department of Oriental Studies.
• Burmese later became a separate Department.

Early Alumni

Saya U Pe Maung Tin was proud of his students — Theikpan Maung Wa, Zawgyi and Minthuwun — for founding the “Khit San Sar Pay”. He would express Mudita (Altruistic Joy) for their talents and achievements.

• U Sein Tin, ICS — Theikpan Maung Wa
  Victim of a botched robbery. We had to study his “Wut Htu Saung Par”.
• U Thein Han — Zawgyi; Laureate Poet; Literary Award winner. Taught at Burmese Department. Retired as Chief Librarian, Rangoon University Central Library.

• U Wun — Minthuwun; Head of the Translation Department of Rangoon University; Compiler of “Myanamr Abhidan”; For a short period, served as Burmese Professor at RU; Visiting Professor at Osaka University for four years

• Daw Khin Saw Mu — Khit San Kabyar
  Spouse : ICS U Ba Tint ; Children : Daw Khin Saw Tint, U Nay Oke

• U Tin Aye — Shan Pyay; Pinlon Agreement signer; Succeeded U Wun as Head of Translation Department

Sayas and Sayamas

Burmese Sayas (at University)

• U E Maung (pronounced as Aye Maung)
  served as its first Professor. His compilation “Garland of Kabyars (Poems)” was a prescribed text for my elder siblings. Spouse : Daw Khin Mya Mu was an expert in reading and transcribing Kyauk Sar (Inscription)

• U Chan Mya — Mya Ketu
• U Toe Aung — Kutha
• U Hla Maung — Abhiddhama
  later served as a Member of the Burmese Language Commission / Myanmar Sar Ah Phwe
• U Sunn Tun (Mandalay) — “Shay Tho” series
• U Kyaw Yin — Kathika U Kyaw Yin
  later served as Rector of MASU
• U Po Kyaw Myint
• Daw Than Swe
• Daw Po — Taught in our I.Sc.(A) class; Staff Sayama at Inle Luyechun Camp in the Summer of 1965; later became Professor
• Maung Khin Min Danuphu — Professor

RIT Burmese

• U Tein Kyi — Head of RIT Burmese Department; later moved to Regional College
• U Soe Myint — succeeded U Tein Kyi as Head
• U Saw Tun — Saw Lu; later became Head of Burmese Department at NIU
• U Kyaw Hlaing — later taught Burmese at Hawaii University and Center of Burmese Studies in Northern Illinios

St. Paul’s High School

• U Pe Tin — Middle School
• U Nge — Middle School
• U Nyunt Maung — High School
• U Sein — High School
  His son Dr. Soe Win (SPHS58) stood First in Burma and is Retired Rector of YUFL
  U Thet Lwin (Maung Ngwe Hlinne) was also a student of Saya Sein

Prescribed Texts

They include

• Myanmar Thadda (Burmese Grammar) by Saya U Pe Maung Tin
  which we studied in Middle School
• Kabyar Pan Kone (Garland of Flowers) compiled by Saya U E Maung
  which was prescribed for High School before our days
• U Pon Nya Wutthu Paung Kyote compiled and annotated by Saya U Wun
  which we studied in High School
• Poems by U Kyin U
• Selections from Zat Taw Gyi Hse Bwe (e.g. Mahosadha)
• Pyazat (e.g. Deva Gomban)

Burmese Language Commission

• Also known as Myanma Sar Ah Phwe
• Bohmu Ba Thaung, Head of Burmese Department at DSA, was an early member of the Commission
• U San Lwin (DSA First Batch) served as Chair of the Commission
• In the 1980s, several History Commission members were assigned to the Myanma Sar Ah Phwe
• The Commission published books, e.g. on Spelling and Proverbs

Decline of Formal Burmese

• The Commission revised the Burmese spelling twice. Some revisions were ill-advised.
• Authors and publishers were fined ten pyas for each violation of the spelling rules.
• Many classic texts were ruined when every occurrence of TA had to be replaced with TIT to please the whims of the higher authorities. The rhyme and rhythm of the beloved texts were lost.

• The rise of the Internet was sadly accompanied by the decline of Burmese usage and the adoption of slangs and abbreviations in messages, blogs and even articles.

• The Union Bank of Burma issued Burmese Currency notes backed by Gold Reserves.
• The bills were signed by authorities (e.g. Sithu U Kaung, U San Lin).
• One US dollar traded at 5 – 6 kyats, and one Sterling pound around 12 – 13 kyats.

Old Receipt from 1979

• The Old Receipt (for 146 Kyats and 50 Pyas) is a testament of the purchasing power in the 70s.
• It was for a farewell dinner for Saya U Myo Win (M/Ag65) by 25 members of the RIT Automobile Club.

Decline in the value of the Kyat

Three rounds of Demonetization, mismanagement, … saw a huge decline in the value of the Kyat.

Snap shots of the exchange rate :

• 1 Kyat = 4 (or more) Bahts (Early days)
• 1 Kyat = 1 Baht (Baht Taik Kyat Taik Khit)
• 4 (or more Kyats) = 1 Baht

• Four decades ago, a Palmist friend told me that I would own 10 Lakhs.
  The top prize for the “Aung Bar Lay” Lottery was 1 Lakh.
  A professor’s monthly salary was K1300.
  A lecturer earned 800 – 1200 kyats.

• A few years back, my friend had to pay 10 Lakhs for a visit to a hospital in Yangon.
• Another friend had to pay 800+ Lakhs to a hospital in Singapore. Luckily, he had inherited a fortune from his parents.