by Hla Min

Updated : Mar 2026

Gone But Not Forgotten

• Conventional wisdom says, “Pyauk thor thu shar hlyin tway. Thay thor thu kyar hlyin mae.” ပျောက်သောသူ ရှာလျှင်တွေ့။ သေသောသူ ကြာလျှင်မေ့။ One may find a lost person. One tends to forget those who have passed away.
• Unconventional wisdom says, “We should maintain GBNF (Gone But Not Forgotten) lists as part of the Written History of our beloved alma mater, our mentors and colleagues.”
• We use GBNF in the “RIT Alumni International Newsletter” and in my Posts.
  Other posts may provide additional information for the entries in the GBNF (by period or year) posts.
• Others use RIP (Rest in Peace), and BFHA (Bound For Higher Abode)

First RIT Website

U Khin Maung Zaw (KMZ, EC76) set up three GBNF pages on ex-RIT.org web site :

• GBNF for sayas and sayamas

• GBNF for alumni

• GBNF for spouses

I used GBNF in the last stanza of my poem “SAYA PU ZAW PWE” for SPZP-2000. The poem was reprinted as the Back Cover of Swel Daw Yeik Sar Saung for SPZP-2000. It was only reprinted by the Class of 69 and Combined 1st BE intake of 64 and 65.

GBNF for RIT Class of 69

The GBNF list is maintained by U Aung Min (M69) and team.

There are 138 entries in the GBNF list. About 20 succumbed to Covid.

About 320 students entered the first ever 2nd BE in 1964. The list includes a few seniors who took sabbatical in their study and ended up as our classmates. Over 40% of our former classmates have passed away.

EE69ers

There were 13 EC69ers. The following have passed away :

• U Kyaw Soe (DCA)
• U Aung Thu Yein (Brownie, Schlumberger)

• U Chit Tin (MOGE)

• U Oo Kyaw Hla (Canada)
• Sai Aik Yee

Several EPers are also GBNF. They include

• Khin Maung Win (Sargalay)

• Thein Swe (3rd BE Luyechun)
• Aung Gyi Shwe (Track & Field)
• Soe Win (Basketball)
• Khin Win (Weightlifting)
• Abdul Rauf

Golden Jubileees

Due to the decline of health of 69ers, the group chose to have two Golden Jubilees : the first in 2014 to celebrate the admission to RIT, and the second in December 2019 to celebrate the graduation of most members in 1969.

GBNF for RIT Class of 70

U Ohn Khine (M70) reported close to 130 entries in the GBNF list of the Class of 70.

Tommy Shwe, Cho Aye, Peter Pe and Thaung Sein (Steeve Kay) were among the Top Ten students from the class. They are now GBNF.

Over 450 students entered the first ever 1st BE.

GBNF from PPBRS

Most of my sayas and sayamas from PPBRS have passed away.

Among my PPBRS classmates, Myo Set (son of actor Tha Gaung Gyi) was the first to pass away. He perished in a car accident. Myint Sein (Veda) and Myat Hla Sein (Movie Tech) are among the recent GBNF from PPBRS.

GBNF from SPHS

Most of my sayas and sayamas from SPHS have passed away. Sayadaw Beatson (Physics, Boy Scouts) is still active and strong.

Among my SPHS classmates, Min Thaw (Gilbert, SPHS63) is among the early ones to pass away. Dr. Myo San (Freddie), Aung Thu Yein (Brownie), Tin Tun, Maung Maung Kyi, Aung Kyi (Arthur Kyi), Khin Maung Bo (Alan Saw Maung), Aung Chaw (Victor) are among the GBNF from SPHS63.

GBNF from UCC & ICST

Several of my sayas, colleagues and former students have passed away.

CO Hla Min (Pauk Si) is an early GBNF from UCC. U Aung Zaw, Daw Nge Ma Ma Than, U Maung Maung Lay (Ah Ba), U Aung Myint and U Maung Maung Gyi are among the recent GBNF from UCC.

Relatives

• Dr. “Cherry” Khin Kyi Nyunt

• Dr. “Peter” Khin Tun
• U Tin Tun
• Daw “Peggy” Than Than Yee
• Dr. Khin Yi Than
• Daw Aye May
• Daw Hla Hla Myint
• Dr. Myo Tint

• Saya U Ba Than

• Daw “Betty” Myint Thwe

• Saya U Tin U

• U “Charlie” Thein Han

Tone Kyaw တုံးကျော်

One should have Samvegha (sense of urgency) after hearing the sad news. When my namesake Hla Min (Pauk Si, SPHS64, EP70) passed away in his mid-thirties, we were shocked since he seemed strong and did not wear jackets (mandated for UCC employees entering the Computer Room). He would often be seen in sport shirts. He passed away with a few months of being diagnosed with liver problem. The consultant doctor was Dr. Min Lwin (Maurice Hla Kyi, SPHS64, IM71). Ko Pauk Si was not a drinker, but other causes inflicted his liver. I became a Tone Kyaw when two government departments where I had given Guest Lectures on Computers and Applications tried to send me “Lwan Thu Pan Khwe” လွမ်းသူ့ပန်းခွေ

U Han Sein (C69) became a Tone Kyaw when the Organizers of the 30th Anniversary of Graduation inadvertently listed him in the GBNF list of the Class of 69. The organizers were unaware that U Han Sein was detained by the authorities after the 8-8-88 event. He resurfaced two decades later with the declaration of Amnesty.

Saya Dr. Tin Hlaing (M63) became a Tone Kyaw when his namesake Saya Dr, Tin Hlaing (formerly of Maritime Studies) passed away. Some alumni had to revoke the wrong announcement.

by Hla Min

Updated : Mar 2026

Aung Moung (M73)

Sayagyi U Ba Than lost his “right arm man” U Aung Moung (M73) in early January, 2018.

Whenever Sayagyi asked for U Aung Moung’s help, he will be at Winner Inn as fast as time and schedule permit.

I met him last year at Winner Inn. He was visiting Sayagyi U Ba Than as well as Daw Win Mar, younger sister of his childhood friend.

U Aung Moung was active in RIT-related activities and in his neighborhood monasteries. The monks voluntarily offered to take part at his final journey at Yae Wae. Actions speak louder than words.

Saya U Tun Shwe, Saya U Lin, Saya U Nyunt Htay, U Han Sein, U Tin Tun Aung, U Than Po, U Kyaw Kyaw and several alumni attended the last journey at Ye Way Crematorium/Cemetery.

Aye Win Kyaw (C70)

He passed away in Pyin Oo Lwin. He earlier lost his son due to a faulty water heater system at the medical clinic (where U Aye Win Kyaw was being treated). It was a double tragedy for the family.

He taught astronomy and astrology at MARB.

Madan Chand (C70)

He was 2nd in his class. He joined the Faculty.

He moved to USA.

He passed away in Illinois.

Aung Thwin, Dr. (SPHS63)

He was a successful OG. He passed away in Southern California. He is the brother of Dr. Khin Khin Thwin (Carmen) and Daw Yee Yee Thwin (Jasmine).

Aung Kyi (Arthur Kyi, SPHS63)

He passed away in Yangon.

Khin Mg Bo (Allan Saw Mg, SPHS63, EP69)

He passed away in Yangon.

Tin Tun (Phone Gyi, SPHS63, M69)

He was Joint Secretary of RIT Thaing Association. He taught Naval Architecture. He passed away in Yangon.

Myint Sein (Bobby, SPHS64)

He is an alumnus of Private Primary Boundary Road School (PPBRS), St. Paul’s High School (SPHS) and the Institute of Economics. He is Past Principal of BARB (Burma Astro Research Bureau), Visiting Lecturer at the Institute of Indigenous Medicine (in Mandalay) and Founder of Idea Astrology.

Aung Myint (Sonny, SPHS64)

He joined RIT EE as Lab Technician. He transferred to UCC as Maintainence Technician. He was promoted to Maintenance Engineer. He lost his job after filling in the 1988-related questionnaire. He gave private tuition on PLA. He passed away at his breakfast table.

Three SPHS & UCC alumni — CO U Hla Min (Pauk Si), U Maung Maung Gyi (Henry Than Htay) and U Aung Myint (Sonny) — are GBNF.

Myint Lwin (Henry Chee, C63)

He was from the Class of 61. He took sabbatical to get married. He is a good vocalist. He passed away in California, USA.

Myint Thein (Kabar, M69)

He was a core organizer of the 69ers. He had medical checkup in Singapore and India, but he passed away in Yangon due to his deteriorating health. He is fondly known as Maung Kabar (a famous cartoon character of our younger days).

Chit Tin (Bo Chit, EC69)

U Chit Tin graduated in 1969 with EC (Electrical Communications). He is the third member of the group to pass away. The other two are U Kyaw Soe (EC69) and U Aung Thu Yein (Brownie, EC69).

Oo Kyaw Hla (EC69)

He passed away in Canada. He is the fourth EC69er to pass away.

Chan Nyein, Saya Dr. (M67)

He is a retired Minister of Education.

Saw Lin (C71)

He had several medical problems, but he was active as a core organizer of SPZP-2012.

Tin Swe, Saya (EE53)

He played soccer for the Prome Hall team which won the Inter-Hall Trophy for two consecutive years.

H Num Kok, Saya (C)

He was a saya of our sayas. He passed away at the tender age of 98 in Oregon, USA.

Allen Htay, Saya (C58)

He a founding member and President of RIT Alumni International, which hosted SPZP-2000. Saya’s books were donated to YTU Library by Daw Mu Mu Kin. In saya’s memory, several YTU students have been provided scholarships (with the coordination of NorCal RITAA and volunteers from RITAA).

Khin Mg Myint (Shastri)

He received the nickname due to resemblance to the Indian Prime Minister.

San Tint, Saya Dr. (EE61)

He taught at BIT, RIT and YTU. He retired as Professor of Electronic Engineering. He attended SPZP-2000 and took trips to Seattle and New York to have mini-reunion with former students.

Paulians

Aung Khin, Aung Kyi, Aung Thu Yein, Khin Naung Bo, Maung Maung Kyi, Richard Lim and several others are GBNF.

Saw Tin, Saya Dr. (Maths)

Win Naing (Dicky Tan, M69)

He passed away in Singapore. He represented RIT in Rowing.

Tin Myint (John Lee, M69)

He passed away in Union City, California, USA. He represented RIT in Table Tennis. He was selected RIT Luyechun for 4th BE.

Hla Shwe, Saya (T69)

He retired as Associate Professor. He passed away in Yangon. He is remembered in “To the Shwe Duo” poem.

Tin Shwe, Saya (EP66)

He taught at RIT and Assumption University in Bangkok. After retirement, he became a monk. He passed away in Yangon. He is remembered in “To the Shwe Duo” poem.

Ba Than, Saya

Win Khaing (M75)

Myint Sein (M69)

Win Thein, Saya Dr. (C58)

Posts

• GBNF — Alumni
• GBNF — by Calendar Year
• GBNF — by Class
• GBNF — General
• GBNF — Sayas
• Talk — GBNF