HlaMin

Category: Event

  • Sar Saung for SPZP-2002

    • SWEL DAW YEIK SAR SAUNG for SPZP-2002 (Singapore).
    • Saya U Moe Aung (Tekkatho Moe War) & team published the commemorative issue.
    • They reprinted my poem (first published in the web pages of http://www.ex-rit and the commemorative newsletter). Thanks.

  • SPZP (2)

    SPZP 2012

    SPZP 2016

  • Swel Daw Yeik Sar Saung for SPZP-2010

    Front cover
    Editorial
    Pages 2 – 3
    Pages 4 – 5
    Pages 6 – 7
    Pages 8 – 9
    Pages 10 – 11
    Pages 12 – 13
    Pages 14 – 15
    Pages 16 – 17
    Pages 18 – 19
    Pages 20 – 21
    Pages 22 – 23
    Page 24 and Back Cover

    Saya U Moe Aung

    Saya is a Laureate Poet, distinguished writer and editor. Saya served as Chief Editor of the Commemorative Issues of Swel Daw Yeik Sar Saung for

    • SPZP-2002
    • SPZP-2007
    • SPZP-2010

    Saya suggested a name for my article which appears on Pages 20 – 24. Thanks.

  • SPZP-2007

    SPZP-2007

    by Hla Min

    Updated : May 2025

    SPZP-2007 was hosted by the alumni in Singapore in April, 2007. It was the Fourth RIT Grand Reunion and Saya Pu Zaw Pwe. The previous three were

    • SPZP-2000 (San Francisco, October 2000)
    • SPZP-2002 (Singapore, December 2002)
    • SPZP-2004 (Yangon, December 2004)

    Yangon was designated to hold the SPZP in 2006, but due to changes in the political climate, Yangon requested Singapore (the alternate host) to take over. Subsequently, the two-year interval between the SPZPs became 2.5 years.

    Kudos

    to the Core organizers — Nyan Win Shwe, Maung Aunt, Zaw Tun Naing, Zaw Win Htut & team

    and to the Advisers: Saya Dr. Tin Hlaing, Saya U Tin Lin, …

  • Events in July

    July 1947 — Arzanis

    • Bogyoke Aung San
    • Thakin Mya
    • Deedok U Ba Cho
    • Mahn Ba Khaing
    • Sao San Tun (Sawbwa)
    • U Ba Win
    • U Razak
    • U Ohn Maung
    • Ko Htwe

    July 1962

    • 7th July — 17 victims (official count)
    • 8th July — RUSU Building demolished

    July 1969 — Apollo 11 landing on the moon

    • Neil Armstrong (Mission Commander)
    • Michael Collins (Command Module Pilot)
    • Buzz Aldrin (Lunar Module Pilot)
  • Saya Allen Htay (C58)

    Saya Allen Htay (C58)

    by Hla Min

    Updated : May 2025

    Thingyan — April 1966

    Civil Engineering 1958

    SF Bay Area RIT Alumni Group

    SPZP-2000 Organizers

    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

  • U Myo Myint Sein (A58)

    Family

    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, Tin Htet 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

  • Class of 1958

    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)
    • Brother : U San Lwin (Gwan Toh, EE57)

    Chemical

    • U Soe Maung (Ch59)
    • U Win Pe (C59)
    • U Tun Aung Thwin (Ch59)

    Mining

    U Hla Myint (Kenny, Min58, GBNF)

    • Lecturer, GTI Insein
    • Husband of Sayama Daw Tin Tin Ohn (T61)
    • Prome Hall soccer goalkeeper and basketball

  • Dr. San Hla Aung (C58)

    • 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)

    Photos

    • C58 Class Photo
      Annotated by Saya and friends
    C58

    * Soon Kwyay in SF Bay Area

    Soon Kyway
    • At Winner Inn with Saya U Ba Than
    Winner Inn
    • With U Nyi Hla Nge (C69) and U Saw Lin (C71)
    U Nyi Hla Nge, Dr. San Hla Aung, U Saw Lin

  • Class of 1955

    • Most members matriculated in 1949 and graduated with B.Sc.(Engg) in 1955.
    • Dr. Aung Gyi, U Min Wun and U Maung Maung Than (GBNF) were among the first engineering students sent to US as State Scholars under the “Twinning Project” proposed by Sayagyi U Ba Hli.

    Saya Dr. Aung Gyi (C)

    Dr. Aung Gyi in Napean, Canada
    Saya U Min Wun and Saya Dr. Aung Gyi at Welcome Dinner for SPZP-2000
    Civil Sayas and Alumni
    • Matriculated in 1949.
    • Joined Engineering classes after completing Intermediate of Science.
    • Received Scholarship to study in the USA.
    • Received BS and MS from MIT.
    • Upon return to Burma, joined the Civil Engineering Department as Assistant Lecturer
      and was promoted to Lecturer.
    • Received Scholarship to study in Canada.
    • Received Doctorate from the University of Alberta.
    • Became Professor and Head of Civil Engineering.
    • Succeeded U Yone Moe as Rector in 1971.
    • Rector from 1971 – in 1977
    • Worked for UN and Canadian Agency
    • Moved to Napean, Canada
    • Keynote speaker at SPZP-2000
    • Wrote articles for RIT Alumni Newsletter and HMEE project.
    • Celebrated his 91st birthday in October 2022

    Saya U Min Wun (C, GBNF)

    Saya U Min Wun and Saya DAG in 2000
    U Min Wun and Dr. Aung Soe
    • Matriculated in 1949.
    • Joined Engineering classes after completing Intermediate of Science.
    • Received Scholarship to study in the USA.
    • Received BS from MIT and MS from Cornell University
    • Upon return to Burma, joined the Civil Engineering Department as Assistant Lecturer
      and was promoted to Lecturer.
    • Succeeded Dr. Aung Gyi as Professor and Head of Civil Engineering Department
    • Served as Advisor for the Myanmar Pyet Ka Dein Committee
    • Speaker at SPZP-2000
    • Wrote articles for RIT Alumni Newsletter and HMEE project.
    • Moved to California, USA.
    • Retired from CalTran (California Transportation) at the tender age of 80.
    • Stay fit and healthy in his 90s doing Meditation.

    Saya U Khin Aung Kyi (Ch, GBNF)

    Rectors
    • Matriculated in 1949.
      Stood Seventh in Burma, and received Collegiate Scholarship.
    • Joined Engineering classes after completing Intermediate of Science.
    • Received Scholarship to study in the USA.
    • Received BS and MS from MIT
    • Upon return to Burma, joined the Chemical Engineering Department as Assistant Lecturer
      and was promoted to Lecturer.
    • Became Professor and Head of Chemical Engineering.
    • Succeeded Dr. Aung Gyi as Rector in 1977.
    • Rector from 1977 – 1988.
    • Taught at Rengsit University in Bangkok
    • Speaker at SPZP-2000
    • Gave interview to HMEE team member U Ohn Khine (M70)

    Saya U Maung Maung Than (T, GBNF)

    • Matriculated in 1949.
    • Joined Engineering classes after completing Intermediate of Science.
    • Received Scholarship to study in the USA.
    • Received BS from Clemson and MS from Lowell University
    • Upon return to Burma, joined the Textile Engineering Department as Assistant Lecturer
      and was promoted to Lecturer.
    • Became Professor and Head of Textile Engineering.
    • Succeeded U Khin Aung Kyi as Rector in 1988
    • Rector from 1988 – 1992
    • Retired as Director General of DHE
    • Served as Chairman of the RIT Sports Council
    • Hobbies include Music (playing the Harp)