The photo was submitted by Saya Allen Htay (GBNF). Saya Dr. San Hla Aung and U Khin Maung Win (Sid Chen, GBNF) provided the captions. The names appeared in an early post by Saya Allen for SPZP-2000.
Saya H Num Kok is a saya of our sayas including Saya Dr. Aung Gyi and Saya U Min Win.
Saya U Ba Hli is the first native Dean of Engineering. He also served as Professor of Civil Engineering. He proposed the “Twinning Program” with prestigious universities in the USA.
Saya Allen Htay (USA, GBNF)
Lecturer at RIT
President of RIT Photography Association
Received Masters from Harvard University
Member of BEA and BAPS
Leader of SF Bay Area Alumni
Founding member and President of RIT Alumni International which hosted SPZP-2000.
His article “Brother, can you spare $500 and more?” resulted in Golden Sponsors, Donors and Volunteers.
Saya Dr. San Hla Aung (USA)
Lecturer at RIT
Received Masters from MIT and Doctorate from Tulane University
Retired Professor of Practice at Tulane University, New Orleans
President of RIT Swimming Association
President of RIT Rowing Association.
Line Judge at RUBC Regattas.
Wrote articles for RIT Alumni Newsletter and website.
Donated back some Garawa money to SDYF and RIT-related activities.
Saya Dr. Win Thein (GBNF)
Retired Professor and Head of RIT Civil Engineering
U Khin Maung Win (Sid Chen, USA, GBNF)
Helped annotate the C58 Class Photo with Dr. San Hla Aung and Saya Allen
Pon Tu of U Sein HlaingRIT Electrical Engineering Sayas
Attended Rangoon University when it reopened in 1946 (after three years of closure due to the war).
Graduated with Electrical Engineering in 1952
Joined the EE Department at Rangoon University as Assistant Lecturer.
Received MS from MIT.
Upon return to Burma, he was promoted to Lecturer.
Retired as Professor and Head of the RIT Electrical Engineering Department.
He passed away a few years after retirement.
Spouse : Daw Nyunt Nyunt Yee (GBNF)
U Tin U (C)
U Tin U in 1949U Tin U was Captain of RUBC in 1948 – 1949U Tin U at SPZP-2012U Tin U and U Thaung Lwin (RUBC Captains)
Attended Rangoon University when it reopened in 1946 (after three years of closure due to the war). Classmates : Dr. Pe Nyun (GBNF), Dr. Pe Thein (GBNF)
Past Captain and Gold of Rangoon University Boat Club (RUBC). U Tin U, Dr. Pe Nyun, Dr. Pe Thein and Bobby Tin represented RUBC at the 1948 Independence Day Regatta at Kandawgyi and were awarded RUBC Gold.
As of this time of writing, U Tin U is the Most Senior among the RUBC Past Captains.
Celebrated his 93rd birthday in August 2022.
Received BS in Civil Engineering from Oregon State University and MS in Civil Engineering from Yale University.
Upon his return, he taught part-time at the Civil Engineering Department.
Served as Honorary Treasurer, Association of Engineers in Burma (after Second World War)
Worked for Clark and Grieg, Inter-Kiln.
Senior member of Consulting Group (of Architects and Engineers)
Past Captain of Rangoon Golf Club (RGC). Gave interview.
Spouse : Dr. Daw Khin Kyi Nyunt (GBNF)
Children : Dr. Khin Tun (Peter, GBNF), Daw Aye Aye Khin, Dr. Ye Myint
He also gave interview for HMEE project (See below).
Association of Engineers in Burma after World War
There were interviews for the HMEE-2012 project.
The account was retold by Saya U Tin U and recorded by Saya U Ba Than.
Re-instituted about 1955-56
President : Sayagyi U Ba Hli (Dean of Engineering, University of Rangoon, GBNF)
Honorary Secretary : Saya U Soon Sein (Professor, Mining, GBNF)
Honorary Treasurer : Saya U Tin U (Part time Lecturer, Civil)
Joined Mechanical Engineering Department after graduation in 1965
Received Doctorate from UC Berkeley
Activities
Past President, BAPS
Founding member, RIT Alumni International
Organizer, SPZP-2000 He served as co-chair of the Steering Committee for SPZP-2000.
He proposed “U Nyo Win Act”. If there are less than the guaranteed number of attendees at SPZP-2000, the core organizers will chip in the costs.
Saya Allen Htay (C58) wrote “Brother, can you afford US$500?” referencing the U Nyo Win Act. Thanks in part to the five Golden Sponsors of SPZP-2000, the Act did not need to be enforced.
Saya U Nyo Win wrote about SPZP-2000 in the Post Reunion series.
He is a founding member of NorCal RITAA and served as BOD (Board of Director).
He worked for Hewlett Packard, Agilent and several US companies before moving to Taiwan to work for Semiconductor industry.
After retirement, he moved back to California and Taiwan.
Photos
Organizers, SPZP-2000
SF Bay Area Alumni Group founded RIT Alumni International
Welcoming Saya U Soe Paing to SF Bay Area
Norcal RITAA gathering
SF Bay Area Alumni gathering
SPZP-2000 OrganizersSF Bay Area Alumni GroupWelcoming Saya U Soe Paing (EE, UCC)NorCal RITAA GatheringSF Bay Area Alumni Gathering
Matriculated from St. Peter’s High School, Mandalay in 1958
Joined Civil Engineering Department after graduation in 1964
Received Masters from Birmingham University in UK
Retired as Rector, Mandalay Technological University
Activities
Represented Engineering in Rowing
Donated to YTU Library Modernization
Donated K160 Lakhs for the construction of Dhamma Vihara in 2018.
Donation by U Thein Tan and Daw Thazin WinDonation by U Thein Tan and Daw Thazin WinSharing merits
Notes
Spouse : Daw Thazin Win
Classmates include Saya Dr. Ohn Myint (USA) and Saya U Khin Maung Phone Ko (Singapore)
He was selected to study in USSR. Due to policy changes he ended up attending Birmingham University. The alumni of Birmingham University include Saya U Tin Htut (M) and Saya Dr. Myint Tun (Chemistry).
He is a founding member and President of RIT Alumni International, which hosted SPZP-2000. His classic article resulted in five Golden Sponsors for SPZP-2000.
10th Anniversay of RIT Alumni International
Saya’s spouse and grand children
In memory of Saya Allen, Daw Mu Mu Khin has donated Saya’s books to the YTU Library and has sponsored scholarships to eligible YTU students
Donation of Saya’s books to YTU
Donation of Saya Allen’s Books
Brother, can you afford US$ 500?
And many weekends spent away from your family as well? If you can then you probably are a member of the RIT Grand Reunion and Saya Pu Zaw Pwe organizing committee.
It all began one day several months ago when we met over lunch at Benny Tan‘s home in Hillsborough. Ko Hla Min and Ko Khin Maung Zaw among the lunch party had started the RIT Alumni website and were receiving enthusiastic responses. Hearing that the duo were carrying on the project all by themselves we decided to throw in our moral and financial support to assure its survival, realizing that it was providing a needed service for the RIT alumni to locate and communicate with each other. Every one present, ten of us at that time, took out our checkbooks and wrote out one hundred dollars each, with promises of more as needed. We informally called ourselves the RIT Alumni Bay Area Group. I was asked to be the group leader.
After that fateful event we continue to have regular meetings, hosted in turn at the homes of some among group members: Ko Hla Min, Maurice Chee, Ko Myat Htoo, Ko Thein Aung, and most recently Dr Nyo Win. Did I leave out any one? Ah yes! Ko Myint Swe and San San Swe. All the while the membership continues to grow and our objective keeps on changing from support of the website to some vague dream of a future RIT alumni organization on a global scale and finally settled on a plan for RIT Alumni Grand Reunion at the beginning of the 21st Century. Ko Hla Min broached the idea to include Saya Pu Zaw Pwe as part of the Grand Reunion in keeping with the Myanmar custom of honoring one’s teachers. As our plan jelled we got carried away by our own excitement and started talking about holding the reunion before the end of the Year 2000. After all, ending one millennium successfully augers well for success in the next millennium.
Before we fully realized what we were up to we have found an ideal site, the Embassy Suites Hotel conference hall near the San Francisco International Airport, and found ourselves making a commitment for a definite date, 28 October 2000 and a attendance fee of fifty dollars, a modest amount to encourage maximum number of Alumni to participate. The minimum capacity of the conference hall is 200 seats and we were required to make down payment and sign a rental and service agreement based on 200 seating. Our most optimistic estimate at the time was 100 attendees. If the attendance is low that means the Bay Area Group, as the Organizing Committee was not in force at the time, will have to make up the short fall. Which could amount to as much as five thousand dollars, or five hundred dollar from each group member. We hesitated a moment to reflect on what that means to us individually in terms of diminished spending power. But, in the end our attachment to RIT and the engineering profession, our sincere desire to meet the Sayas and class mates from whom we were separated for long over came us. We will accept the risks.
Thus was born the preparations in full swing for the Grand RIT Reunion and Saya Pu Zaw Pwe. Others must tell the rest of the story – of struggles, compromises, and elation along the way and from participants themselves what it means to be present at the defining moment in the history of RIT Alumni.
Allen Htay, RIT Alumni International – Bay Area Group RIT Grand Reunion and Saya Pu Zaw Pwe Organizing Committee
Birthday : October 1, 1931 Spouse : Ma Ma Pat Children : Chit Saya (and Win Maw), Michael (and Jenny) Grandchildren: Ashton …
He has nine brothers and two sisters. They include Kyaw Tun Sein, Thawda Sein, Kyi Win Sein, Tin Htoo Sein, TinHtet Sein, Ko Ko Sein. Five brothers and a sister have passed away. Among the siblings who are alive, he is the most senior. Most brothers attended De La Salle Schools.
Education / Experience
President of the RU ConBro Association.
Captain of the soccer team.
Graduated in 1958 (first batch of Architects from the University of Rangoon)
Received Masters at Michigan University in the USA
Succeeded Saya U Tha Tun as Head of the Architecture Department
Retired as Professor before moving to the USA
Author
Invited to lecture in Japan, Australia, New Zealand …
Wrote articles for RIT Alumni Newsletter, Swel Daw Yeik Magazine and HMEE (History of Myanmar Engineering Education),
Attended SPZP-2000 and said that his American colleague would gladly exchange all his awards to attend a SPZP.
Attended the Annual Dinner of RIT NorCal RITAA along with several other sayas from Southern California.
Khamee Khamet of U Win Kyu, a senior alumni
Visited Northern California to see his grandson (studying at UC Davis) Spent some time with Saya U Myat Htoo (C68).
iNapa Winery hosted a gathering for his 90th Birthday
Thanks to U Aye (M62) for providing information & feedback
Architecture
U Myo Myint Sein (A58)
Retired Professor and Head of Department
Soccer Selected
President of RU ConBro (alumni of Convent & Brother Schools)
Author
Guest Lecturer at selected associations and universities
Alumnus of Michigan University
U Tun Thein(A58, GBNF)
Senior Architect
Civil
Allen Htay (C58, GBNF)
Joined Faculty as Assistant Lecturer
Received MS from Harvard University
Promoted to Lecturer
President of RIT Photography Association
Moved to USA
Member of BEA and BAPS
Leader of SF Bay Area Alumni
Founding member and President of RIT Alumni International which hosted SPZP-2000.
His article “Brother, can you spare $500 and more?” resulted in Golden Sponsors, Donors and Volunteers.
Dr. San Hla Aung (C58)
Joined Faculty as Assistant Lecturer
Received MS from Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Promoted to Lecturer
President of RIT Swimming Association
President of RIT Rowing Association.
Line Judge at RUBC Regattas.
Moved to USA
Received Doctorate
Retired Professor of Practice at Tulane University, New Orleans
Wrote articles for RIT Alumni Newsletter and website.
Donated back some Garawa money to SDYF and RIT-related activities.
Dr. Win Thein (C58, GBNF)
Retired Professor and Head of RIT Civil Engineering
U Khin Maung Win(Sid Chen, USA, GBNF)
Helped annotate the C58 Class Photo with Dr. San Hla Aung and Saya Allen
Oscar Sharazee (C58)
Attended SPZP-2000.
Worked in Middle East.
Brother-in-law of U Ngwe Zoe (Peter Gale, GBNF)
Saw Irwin Myaing (C58)
He was from St Patrick’s HS, Moulmein
Electrical
U Htin Paw (USA, GBNF) Double Gold Medalist. Joined Faculty of Engineering after graduation. MS from Michigan University. Transferred to UBARI and EI. President of BEA President of TBSA. Attended SPZP-2000. Wrote articles for RIT Alumni Newsletter and website. Donated $2000 to Dhammanda Vihara in memory of Sayama Dr. Julie Han (who served as VP and Fundraiser of TBSA).
U Ba Nyunt (GBNF) : Saya. MS from US. Worked for MOC/MOGE. Attended SPZP-2000 during his visit to see his daughter and grandchild. His spouse is Daw May Su (Physics, GBNF). His son-in-law Thiha played keyboard at SPZP-2000. Thet Win, son of U Shwe Kyaw (M63, GBNF) played drums.
Mechanical
U Kyaw Than (Gwan Leong, M58, GBNF)
Retired Airworthiness Engineer, UBA / BAC
Moved to Canada
Attended RIT Reunion in the East Coast with Rosemary (Spouse)
Matriculated in 1951, but had to wait one year before attending Rangoon University (due to the Minimum Age Requirement)
Won Gold Medal for finishing Top in the Class of Civil 58
Joined RU as Assistant Lecturer.
Received MS from MIT.
Promoted to Lecturer.
Completed Doctorate from University of New Orleans.
Retired as Professor of Practice
Activities and Achievements
President, RIT Swimming Association
President, RIT Rowing Association
Line Judge, RUBC Regattas
Wrote articles for RIT Alumni Newsletter Student days at BOC College Bio for SPZP-2000 Memory of Saya U Sein Win
Attended SPZP-2000
Missed some SPZPs due to Schedule Conflict (e.g classes and exams)
Notes
Had first mini-reunion in New Orleans (during my visit to CA World)
Had further reunions in SPZPs, and at SF Bay Area gatherings and Winner Inn
Saya retired at the tender age of 80.
After retirement, Saya spent some time in Myanmar. He lives mostly with his daughter in New York. He spent about a year in San Francisco with his son (partly due to the Covid restrictions in NY and California).
Several of Saya’s classmates are GBNF Saya Allen Htay (C58, GBNF) Saya Dr. Win Thein (C58, GBNF) Sid Chen (Khin Maung Win, C58, GBNF) Saya U Htin Paw (EE58, GBNF) Saya U Ba Nyunt (EE58, GBNF)
HlaMin 