Category: RIT
Engineering Schools in Burma
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Dr. Aung Gyi — Memories
Dr. Aung Gyi 1 Dr. Aung Gyi 2 Dr. Aung Gyi 3 Dr. Aung Gyi 4 Dr. Aung Gyi 5 Dr. Aung Gyi 6 Dr. Aung Gyi 7 -
Heroes
Food Donors
- For SPZP-2016, free breakfast, lunch and dinner were provided to registered attendees.
- It was partly due to the cetana of the food donors.
Buffet Ticket Stage and Equipment
There were two stages nicknamed as
- Lugyi Sin (for formal performances)
- Khalay Sin (for informal performances).
They were made possible by the sponsors and donors.
Heroes for SPZP-2016
- Event Committee
- Entertainment Committee
- Food Committee
- Providers for Transportation
- Providers of the Sound Systems
- Providers of the Lightning System
Special thanks
Thanks go to Saya Dr. Aye Myint (former Rector of YTU) and Saya Dr. Myint Thein (current Rector of YTU) for the activities held at our beloved alma mater.
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Living Proof
Several sayas wondered what happened to the Swel Daw Bins, which provided Swel Daw Yeik to the engineering students. How did they perish?
Saya U Moe Aung (Tekkatho Moe War) was sad to see the demise of Swel Daw Bins, but he is convinced that virtual Swel Daw Yeik lie deep in the heart of the engineering sayas and students and will live on forever.
- Ko Saw Linn (C71, GBNF) had a kidney transplant, and had been to ICU at least thrice.
Saya U Moe Aung & U Saw Lin - Ko Wynn Htain Oo (M72) has a hip replacement surgery several years ago.
WHO 1 
WHO 2 - Ko Myint Pe (M72) had a Stage-3 cancer.
Myint Pe 1 I met them on RIT Alumni Facebook Pages before I met them face to face at the SPZP-2012 Main Organizing Committee meetings.
Their health problems did not prevent them from working feverishly to repay their metta and cetana to their mentors, and to ensure that their former classmates and school mates will have wonderful reunions and flash backs to the good old days.
Cartoonists & Supporter The three alumni are living proof that Swel Daw Yeik (RIT) Spirit is alive and well.
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UCC Twins
- Ma Nge and Judy are close friends.
- Considered as “UCC Twins“
- One guy supposedly approached the Twins and gave them both a copy of his “Yee Sar Sar”.
- Both found their soul mates :
Ko Myint Swe (for Ma Nge),
Ko Myint Zaw (for Judy)
Ma Nge
Ma Nge 1 - Nge Ma Ma Than (Ma Nge, Theresa Aung Than, GBNF)
Attended MEHS and Rangoon University - Studied and taught at UCC
- Spouse : U Myint Swe (UCC)
Ma Nge 2 - During the Adhamma Era, Ma Nge, her brother and Ko Myint Swe were detained by higher authorities. They became Prisoners of Conscience.
- Despite having medical problems, Ma Nge has a strong will, and showed metta and karuna to her fellow prisoners (even in her final days).
Ma Nge 3 - Father : U Aung Than
- Uncles : Arzani U Ba Win, Bogyoke Aung San
Nwe Nwe Win
- Also known as Judy
- Represented RASU in Track and Field
- At UCC, she was often the sixth player of the men’s volley ball team.
- Taught at UCC, DCS, and ICST.
Traveled overseas for studies, training and conferences.
Judy & Sweetie - Judy found her soul mate Myint Zaw, who takes care of his “Ah Ma Gyi”.
- Retired after heading the Department of Computer Science at RASU
- Young ones would address her as “Ah Ma Gyi” and “Teacher”
- Still looks young (especially when attending conferences)
Comments
U Khin Maung Zaw wrote :
Those good old halcyon days!!!!!!
There actually was the third member, three musketeers if you will, who used to hang out together in the very early days of UCC. She is Sweetie Tin Moe We [UN Retiree]. -
Dean of Engineering
U Ba Hli
U Ba Hli - Sayagyi U Ba Hli was the first Dean of Engineering at the University of Rangoon. He also served as Professor of Civil Engineering. He is credited for the “Twinning” with the prestigious universities in the USA.
- The commemorative issue of RIT Alumni International Newsletter for the first RIT Grand Reunion and Saya Pu Zaw Pwe paid respect to Sayagyi.
- Sayagyi U Aung Khin (former Professor of Mechanical Engineering, and the driving force behind SPZP-2000) wrote an introduction to the special article written by Saya Dr. Freddie Ba Hli (the only child of Sayagyi U Ba Hli).
U Ba Hli’s son
Dr. F Ba Hli 1 
Dr. F Ba Hli 2 - Dr. F. Ba Hli received his Sc.D. in Electrical Engineering from MIT. He helped Sayagyi Dr. Aung Gyi and Sayagyi U Min Wun, who were two of the first undergraduate engineering students from the University of Rangoon to be given State Scholarship as part of the “Twinning” program.
- Dr. F. Ba Hli’s spouse is the sister of Sayagyi U Tin U (C), Sayagyi U Ba Than (M), Dr. Myo Tint (father of Ma Kay (EE93)), U Tin Htoon (A60), Saya U Myo Min (UCC) and U Thaung Lwin (EC66). Note that four are Past Captain and Gold of Rangoon University Boat Club.
- Dr. F. Ba Hli has a daughter and two sons.
U Ba Hli’s grand children
Dr. F Ba Hli’s birthday in 2008 - Daw Tin Tin Hlaing (UCC) is the spouse of U Htay Aung (Victor, EC80, UCC, nephew of Saya U Sein Hlaing (EE)).
- U Tha Hlaing (EC83, UCC) stood joint first with Ko Thaung Tin (KMD, former Deputy Minister) in their final year. He, his father and his paternal grandfather form Three Generation of Burmese engineers who are sayas or alumni.
- Min Thet Tun (GBNF) did not smoke or drink, but succumbed to lung cancer in mid 30s. He lamented why some people who drink and smoke lived long.
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U Aung Khin
- Saya stays fit by playing Tennis and Golf.
- Photos provided by U Tint Lwin (Daniel, M69) visited Saya in Windsor, Canada.
Saya U Aung Khin with his son and daughter
U Aung Khin 1 - Moe (Saya’s son)
- U Tint Lwin (Daniel)
- Saya U Aung Khin
- Nanadar (Saya’s daughter)
Saya U Aung Khin at the Tennis Club
U Aung Khin 2 - U Kyi Lwin (George)
- Saya U Aung Khin
- U Tint Lwin (Daniel)
Other Gatherings
Ivan and Saya 
Lily, Saya and Dr. Tin Win -
U Tin U
U Tin U 1 
U Tin U 2 U Tin U is the eldest of nine siblings including Saya U Ba Than (GBNF), Dr. Myo Tint (GBNF), U Tin Tun (A60), U Myo Min (UCC) and U Thaung Lwin (EC66).
He matriculated in 1946 and attended Rangoon University. His classmates include Dr. Pe Nyun (GBNF), Dr. Pe Thein (GBNF) and Saya U Sein Hlaing (GBNF).
RUBC Captain He is Past Captain and Gold of Rangoon University Boat Club (RUBC).
He is Past Captain of Rangoon Golf Club (RGC).
He received his BSEE from Oregon State University and MSEE from Yale University. Upon his return to Burma, he taught Part-time at the Civil Engineering Department at the Faculty of Engineering, University of Rangoon.
He celebrated his 95th in August 2024.
A miracle happened many years ago.
Dr. Khin Tun (Peter, son of U Tin U) wrote:
He had an experience of being kidnapped by his company driver who hired “insurgents” with criminal records, to do the job. They came to his office at Lewis street, and pretended to be from military intelligence in mufti. They asked him to come along with them for questioning. They ask the office driver to drive the company jeep up to A1 compound near 9th mile and let the driver to get off at a bus stop with a letter to give my mother.
One of them took the driver seat and continued driving out of the city passing Mingaladon airport. When their jeep went past the Mingaladon Military Intelligence Centre (Yay Kyi Ine), my father became suspicious. There was a road block near Hmawbi by luck, and the kidnappers tried and overtook the battle tanks in a convoy on the road. An off duty military police stopped the car, giving my father a chance to ask for help; my father reached the car key from the back seat and threw away. The military police asked my father to drive instead and was later freed, after being taken to the military commander and the police station.
In the mean time my mother, who was doing research at Insein Railway Hospital, received a ransom letter at 11 am to bring 60,000 Kyats in a jute bag, wearing a red longyi to a road corner, near “Ar-lain-nga-sint” pagoda in “Mingaladon”, by 3 pm the same day. The kidnappers’ plan was to torture and kill my father whether they received the ransom or not. The grudge was for sacking the driver who took sick leave, and went to work in another company to get 2 salaries.
Was it a miracle?
Or, was it a series of coincidences?
U Tin U overcame a death threat.
He continued working and enjoying Golf and the 19th hole celebrations. Even to this day, he keeps fit by watering plants in the garden and taking his daily dose of Scotch Whiskey.
He looks healthier than his younger brother Sayagyi U Ba Than.
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Htin Aung, Dr.
by Hla Min
Updated : May 2025
Dr. Htin Aung 1 
Dr. Htin Aung - Principal of Rangoon College.
- First native Rector of the University of Rangoon.
- Per Dr. Yan Naing Lwin, Dr. Htin Aung accompanied Prime Minister U Nu to Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) in 1954.
- Vice Chancellor, RU
- After retirement, Dr. Htin Aung was appointed Ambassador to Ceylon.
Per U Tin Htoon, Dr. Htin Aung greeted the RUBC team and also provided transportation to visit Kandy. - Per Dr. Thane Oke Kyaw Myint, his Ba Dwe was recalled back to Burma by the Foreign Office. One day, the then Number One asked Saya what he was doing in Burma and that he did not ask the Foreign Office to recall him.
Saya went to UK to continue his research and writing. - Old alumni may have studied Saya’s books such as “Thirty Burmese Tales” and “Burmese Drama”.
- Saya is a scholar, a prolific writer, a historian and a folklorist.
- Saya’s siblings:
ICS U Tin Tut,
Dean of Law U Kyaw Myint,
Chief Justice U Myint Thein,
Kyauksar expert Daw Khin Mya Mu,
Khit San poet Daw Khin Saw Mu,
English lecturer Daw Tin Saw Mu
Feedback from Dr. Thane Oke Kyaw Myint
- [Ba Dwe] Dr Htin Aung did not get an ambassador post. He was Called a Minister (current title is Minister Counselor) and the office in Ceylon was under the Embassy in New Dehli.
- Sometime later, on one occasion, Ne Win said, “Where is Saya Htin Aung?”
Thi Han immediately called Dr Htin Aung to come back. - Ba Dwe could not find out why. It took nearly six months to see Ne Win. On meeting Ne Win, Ne Win asked why he had come back. Ba Dwe explained about being called back and that he could not go back as another person had been sent. Ne Win told him he did not call back [from Ceylon]. He was thinking of his teacher and was just asking where was. Wasn’t it like Shwe Pyin Nyi Naung?
- He asked Ba Dwe what he could do for him. Ba Dwe asked to leave Burma for Oxford. He left to be Fellow of St Anthony’s College.
- The other dignitaries to be awarded honorary degrees were Prince Souphanouvong of Cambodia and Emperor Haile Salasie of Ethiopia together with my father in 1958.
- I had a photo of my father receiving the honorary LLD which he never used from PM U Ba Swe.
U Kyaw Myint -
Meeting Places
Taw Win Hnin Si
Swe Swe Kyaw Zin presented Caps & Hats on behalf of her father U Kyaw Zin (EP69) 
Cap 
Hat 
The Class of 69 usually meet for the monthly breakfast gathering at Royal Rose Restaurant.
The restaurant is owned by U Soe Nyunt (SPHS66). He recovered the SPHS (St. Paul’s High School) Honor Roll, which went missing after the Nationalization.
Sein Hlyan
The Intake of 65 (aka as the Class of 71) usually meet for their monthly gathering at Sein Hlyan.
The restaurant was owned by U Han Tun Maung, a multiple sports athlete. He
- played Football for SPHS
- competed in Inter-School Track & Field
- served as President of OPA (Old Paulians’ Association) and Kokkine Swimming Club
- His family owned a stable and his pet horse was “Sein Hlyan”.
Miscellaneous
- Panda
- Western Park
- M3
- Shwe Bei
- Morning Star
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Dr. San Oo and Daw Than Yi
Sar Pay Chit Thu Myar
Dr. Sann Oo (EP67) and Daw Than Yi (Maubin Ma Shwe Than, EC70) served as Associate Editors for “Hlyat Sit Sar Saung“, Journal published by RIT EE Association. Saya U Moe Aung (Tekkatho Moe War) was Chief Editor and Publisher. I was a member of the RIT EE Association and the Magazine Committee.
Ko Sann Oo & Ma Than Yi Activities
- They joined EPC.
Ma Than Yi - After retirement, they established a “East and West Parami” Poly Clinic and a Publishing House.
- They published several books mostly for the love of Sar Pay and not necessarily for financial gains.
- Their first publication was a reprint of “Kabar Phyu” (science fiction) by Journal Kyaw Tint Swe, father of Dr. Sann Oo.
Publishers Another publication was by William, their grandson (then about 10 years old).
With Tekkatho Moe War - Despite aches and pains, she still enjoys dancing. She performed with her oldie pals at SPZP.
Couple
HlaMin 