My Poem from the commemorative Sar Saung for SPZP-2007
S ingapore-2007. We’ll gladly come. W e’ll puzaw sayas, meet friends, have fun E njoy Swe Daw Yeik Sar Saung, that’s second to none.
D azzling displays, beauty, elegance, grace A h Nyeint, duests, jokes, dances, …, spectacular plays W ill bring back fond memories of the [RIT] Swe Daw Yeik days
Y oung alums bear torches of mentors wise and old E nergetic, international family members — more precious than gold I nnovators, entrepreneurs, …, philanthropists, we are told K nowing how to strike rich and share wealth as opportunities unfold.
Note
In my later posts, I use Swel Daw instead of Swe Daw.
Irrespective of years gone by, my beloved mother and benefactor still remains in my heart. I wrote the poem for Thway Thauk Magazine in May 1964 in memory of my mom who passed away on March 10, 1964.
Thanks to Saya U Soe Paing for his great endeavour in visiting the UCL (Universities’ Central Library) numerous times [in January 2012] to gather and record invaluable information relating to RIT (and BOC college of Engineering as well). And thanks to you for archiving all through your emails and keeping all RITians gelled together.
Only when did Saya U Soe Paing mention Engineering Students’ Magazines, that I happen to recall one Engineering Students’ Magazine in which I was part of it. That was in Academic Year 1960-1961. I was still an Electrical Engineering Student at that time (2nd year, or, by the present calling, 4th year). At Rangoon University (Main University) they had a University Students’ Union (in Burmese, Thud Meg-ga is translated as Union), and we had correspondingly an Engineering Students’ Union as well at our Faculty of Engineering at Leik-Khone (Dome), Prome Road.
At that time I met one Ko Hla Tin (Civil) who was my senior and several years older than me, staying at Prome Hall which was adjacent to Leik Khone, only separated by a fence. He was an avid poet (pen name Kay-tu Win Tint, from Taunggoo) and I used to visit his room at Prome Hall to talk about poems and literature during lunch or break times. I also met one senior (can’t recall his name, I think Ko Sein Hlaing) who was the Secretary of the Students’ Union. After some lively discussions, we decided to issue an Engineering Students’ Union Annual Magazine and they made me the Chief Editor. The Magazine consisted of two sections, Burmese and English, of which Saya U Aung Khin (Mech) was the English Editor.
I still have the 1960-61 issue neatly tucked in a cupboard in Yangon.
Now I remember that Ko Sein Hlaing (EE?) is still in Yangon, helping to look after his grand children, but not in good health. Ko Sein Hlaing’s daughter was my daughter’s very close friend since their childhood days. We met once in Singapore about 12 years back.
Dear Ko Hla Min, this is the time to reminisce and be happy about the good old days and try to fly back with whatever time machine we could get hold of. Time really flies and we should realize that our days are numbered.
Publications
Saya published “Collection of Poems” : some books by himself (e.g. Pearl in My Heart) and some with collaborators (e.g. Swel Daw Poems).
He also published a collection of articles (e.g. Sea of Men & selected articles)
During one of my visits to Rangoon, he gave me an autographed copy of his book.
Autographed copyCoverMusings by Tekkatho Moe War and Maung Sein Win (Padeegone)
Father’s Day is celebrated on the 3rd Sunday in June.
Three Generation of Fathers
My beloved fatherMy beloved parents
First Generation
My beloved father
He had NDE (Near Death Experience) in his teens. The doctors said that he had three months to live, but thanks to Kadok Sayagyi (ကတုတ်ဆရာကြီး၊ Indigenous Medicine Expert) he lived to be a father of seven and grandfather of eleven.
He was a Jack of all Trades and Master of Some. He was not an Architect, but he built pagodas and houses (for him and his younger brothers).
He passed away in his 80s.
He would be 109 in July 2025.
Three Generations
Second Generation
Yours truly
I am a Lifelong Learner.
I am a former academic and Software Engineer.
I have two sons and two grandchildren.
My family 1
Third Generation
My elder son
He is an Industrial Engineer.
He has a daughter & a son. Both are excellent in studies and extra-curricular activities.
My family 2
Old Poem
Be kind to your father For when you were young Who loved you as fondly as he He caught the first accent that fell from your tongue And joined in the heavenly glee
Be kind to your father For now he is old His hair intermingled with grey His footsteps are feeble — Once fearless and bold Your father is passing away
Morals & Manners
We had to study “Morals & Manners” at St. Paul’s High School. Brother Austin rewarded those who could recite poems in the book.
Many of us (siblings and cousins) grew up in “Ein Gyi” (အိမ်ကြီး Big House).
Later my father and his siblings built their houses in the Compound.
Beloved Parents
P 1P 2My father
Supported us to have a decent education
My Let Oo Saya
Wrote about them in several posts : Father, Mother, Beloved Parents, Countdown to SPZP
Collegiate Scholarship
HM 3
Stood Seventh in Burma in the Matric exam of 1963.
Awarded Collegiate Scholarship of 75 Kyats per month
Honored by the school (St. Paul’s High School) and the alumni association (Old Paulian Association)
Additional information can be found in posts related to SPHS
RIT Days
Attended Rangoon Institute of Technology (RIT) from 1964 to 1969
Additional information can be found in my post “Memories of a 69er”
RIT Student
HM 1
Passed the last ever I.Sc.(A) exam
Admitted to the first ever 2nd BE in November 1964
320+ classmates.
Sad to note that 128 are GBNF
In Aung Min (M69) & team maintain the GBNF list
EE Association
EE Association
EC (Class Representative) of the RIT Electrical Engineering Association. Ko Shwe Win was the Secretary.
Later : Joint Secretary & Secretary
EE Magazine
EE Magazine
Member of the Committee for the publication of “Hlyat Sit Sar Saung”
Saya U Moe Aung (Tekkatho Moe War) was Chief Editor
Ko San Oo, Ma Than Yi and Ko Myo Myint were Associate Editors.
Luyechun
Luyechun
Selected to attend the Inlay Khaung Daing Luyechun Camp in the Summer of 1965.
Ko Sein Shwe, Ma Khin Than Myint Tin & Ko Zaw Min were also selected as RIT LYC.
RUBC
Magazine
Willie Soe Maung (Stroke), Kyaw Wynn (3), Hla Min (2), Maung Maung Kyi (Bow) and Myint Thein (Cox) were Senior Novices Runners-up in the Monsoon Regatta in 1963. Three — Willie, MMK & MT — are now GBNF
Awarded Full Green at the end of the season
Elected Honorary Treasurer in the last ever General Election
Became Vice Captain the following year
I was denied to be Captain by the higher authorities who abolished the Bye Laws
Contributing Editor for the 90th Anniversary Issue of RUBC Magazine in 2013. Wrote the Prelude for each section. Also wrote three articles.
My Beloved Spouse
HM 2
Caring mother of two sons, and and Grandmother of two lovely Myees
Golden Jubilee in June, 2023.
Three Generations
HM 5HM 6
My parents
My spouse and I
Elder son
Anniversaries
HM 4HM 7
Some friends hosted lunch or dinner for our birthdays and wedding anniversaries.
