There were several gatherings during my visit to Yangon in January, 2018.
Mini-gathering hosted by me
69er Monthly Gathering
UCC gathering hosted by the Myints
5th Acariya Pu Zaw Pwe of ICST and UCSY
Lunch gathering hosted by MARB sayas
Mini-gathering hosted by me
Host : Me
During my visits to Myanamar, several friends gave me rides.
U Win Maung (Lake) gave a ride to three alumni:
U Myint Maung (Bu, Volleyball)
Ashin Okkantha (Uzin Aung Chaw, Victor) who came down from Sagaing Hills
Yours truly
Since it was short notice, some former classmates could not show up.
A notable exception was U Win Thein Zaw (“Wai Lu”) who came down from Nay Pyi Taw at the breakfast gathering. His spouse is a cousin of U Win Boh (Robert).
Standing:
U Shwe (Treasurer of the 69er HCF and EE 69er HCF)
U Sein Myint (Major donor of the HCFs, RIT Selected for Rowing, Swimming and Water Polo)
Ashin Okkantha (Uzin Aung Chaw, Sagaing Hills)
U Win Maung (Lake, RIT Selected for Swimming and Water Polo)
U Hla Min (Host, also donated to the HCFs)
Seated :
U Myat Soe Lwin (Sai Hwet, Survived a fall from the ceiling)
U Win Thein Zaw (Member of Pyithu Hluttaw in Nay Pyi Taw)
U Kyi Win (Kyaw Gyi, former sea farer, yogi)
U Myint Maung (Selected for EE Volleyball, One of the youngest 69er, Eligible bachelor)
Sharing Merits
I hosted the mini-gathering.
I also donated to the 69er HCF (Health Care Fund) and the EE69ers HCF.
Ah Hmya, ah hmya, ah hmya
Update
Uzin Aung Chaw moved to Thonegwa. He passed away there.
Ko Win Thein Zaw is GBNF#144.
Four Myint’s from UCC
Sein Myint
Win Myint
Soe Myint
Aung Myint — late; caught in traffic
UCC Myint’s
ICST
PZP
Attended 5th Acariya Pu Zaw Pwe
Saya U Soe Paing — UCC co-founder; UN Retiree
U Hla Min — Member, UCC Gen Zero
Dr. Kyaw Thein — Retd. Rector, ICST; Succumbed to Covid
Dr. Pyke Tin — Retd. Rector, ICST
U Thein Oo — Great men are short; Entrepreneur
MARB
Lunch with MARB SayasGuest LectureVeda Sayas
Veda Sayas — U Myint Sein, U Khin Aung Bo, U Than Htay, U Myint Lwin — have passed away.
U Kyaw Myint (T72) succeeded U Khin Aung Bo as President of MARB.
U Hla Win (M73) and Dr. Aung Myin Bo gave me rides to the old and new MARB Offices.
Joined the Mechanical Engineering Department in 1965
Moved to USA
Received PhD from UC Berkeley
Worked for Hewlett Packard, Agilent and several US companies before moving to Taiwan to work there.
After retirement, Saya spent time in California and Taiwan.
Activities
Past President, BAPS
Founding Member, RIT Alumni International
Co-chair, Steering Committee for SPZP-2000
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. Thanks in part to the five Golden Sponsors of SPZP-2000, the Act did not need to be enforced.
Wrote about SPZP-2000 in the Post Reunion series.
Founding Member, NorCal RITAA
Served as BOD (Board of Director).
BAPS
Past President, BAPS
Editor, BAPS Newsletter
Honoring U Nyo Win, Ko Benny and Ko Henry
by Hla Min
On November 9, 2000, there was a special dinner at Ming’s seafood restaurant in Sunset, San Francisco to honor Saya U Nyo Win (M65), out-going president of BAPS and to welcome Ko Benny Tan (M70), the in-coming president. There were 30+ attendees. Saya U Nyo Win was presented a plaque in recognition of his leadership and services to BAPS.
A plaque was also awarded to Henry Lim (RIT Alumni) for his services as Editor of the BAPS newsletter. It grew from a 4 pager to a 20 pager.
BEA to BAPS
The first ever RIT Grand Reunion and SPZP did not happen out of the blue. One of the first seeds was sown with the founding of Burmese Engineers Association (BEA). The presidents Saya U Htin Paw (EE58), Saya U San Tun (M59) and Saya U KC Chiu (ChE63) — with the able support of Daw Khin Hta Yee (Lily Win, T72) — organized mini-reunions and reunions in the Bay Area. At the welcome party for Saya U Aung Khin, the idea of merging BEA with a younger association BASTS to become BAPS (Burmese American Professional Society) was proposed and overwhelmingly approved.
BAPS Picnic to RIT Alumni International
At one of the BAPS picnics, several EC members — Saya Allen Htay, Saya U Nyo Win, Saya KC Chiu, Saya U Maung Maung, Ko Benny Tan, Ko Maurice Chee, — held an impromptu meeting with me and asked how they could support Ko Khin Maung Zaw (KMZ) and me regarding the ex-rit web site in general and other activities [such as Grand Reunion] in general.
Later, at Ko Benny’s house, the Bay Area Alumni Group was formed. The rest is history.
Prez for two terms
According to the bye-laws of BAPS, a President can serve for at most two terms. Saya U Nyo Win served two terms. Saya also chaired the meetings by the Organizing Committee of the RIT Reunion and SPZP. His colorful meeting minutes are enjoyable to read.
He is an outstanding writer and an excellent speech giver. Saya wears two hats: BAPS for the Bay Area activities and RIT Alumni International for activities related to his alma mater world-wide. Our kudos to you, Saya.
After Dinner
We went to Ko Aye Tun (Anthony Ng, M76)’s house, which is within walking distance from the restaurant. A preview of the raw / semi-edited copy of the video taken at the RIT Reunion dinner and SPZP took place. The 2+ hour footage caught several viewers by surprise. The “Waing gyi putt putt du way way” dance — started by Diana (Myint Myint Sein, M70) and Richard Chao (Htin Aung, M70) — was joined by Saya U Khin Aung Kyi, Saya U Min Wun, and several alums.
It was close to two o’clock in the morning when I got back home.
RIT Alumni International
Founding Member
Core Organizer, SPZP-2000
Wrote “Appreciation of SPZP-2000” for Post Reunion
Article for Post Reunion (SPZP-2000)
by U Nyo Win
SPZP-2000 Orgsnizers
After the Grand Reunion and Saya Pu Zaw Pu (SPZP), I feel like most of us still excited but completely deflated. I just have enough energy left to think about it and talk about it, but not enough to write about it. But with Ko Hla Min’s call for the end of the post reunion article at number 36, I want to catch this last chance to write a few words before the close of the book, so to say.
First, as the one of the co-chairmen of the Steering Committee, I’d like to add a few words to U Myat Htoo’s article on the apology and thanks to the all the sayagyis, sayas, and fellow alumni. We’d planned and tried to make the Reunion and SPZP a success. I agree with U Myat Htoo that there were areas of deficiencies that we overlooked and were unable to cover. Let me mention a few that we could have done better to run the program more smoothly. It may also be helpful hindsight to pass on to 2002 reunion team.
The reception area was too crowded. We expected 300 plus people would be converging on to the narrow aisle at about 5 O’clock. We tried to arrange two tables in parallel to allow more people to check-in, sign the book, receive the gifts and be directed to the appropriate tables. The crowd was larger than expected. Our seating plan didn’t help. It was designed to group people according to their requests of having close friends together. Unfortunately, the attendees’ names were not listed in alphabetical order with table number assigned. It was very time consuming to locate the table number for the guest. This resulted in people congregating in the check-in area in spite of the ushers’ effort to help.
We under estimated the time for picture taking. It turned out it was the most exciting event. We had group photos of every combination one could imagine. Getting everyone to follow the program for the number of pictures taken was not possible. It ended up a half hour photo session was three times longer. The good thing was, everyone liked it and everyone wanted it. In order to keep the program moving in a reasonable time, our MC U Myat Htoo had to exercise some crowd control. I hope everyone share U Myat Htoo’s difficulty for so doing.
The program was overloaded. Our program called for speeches from sayagyis, sayas, and the alums; opportunity for the audience to contribute to fun, entertainments, singing and jokes. Everyone appeared to be so happy and excited. All of us had so much to talk about, so much fun to have and so much joy to share that hardly anyone could concentrate and follow the program allocated time. But, isn’t that the expectation everyone had of the reunion and SPZP?
We did not allocate sufficient time to meet and thank everybody. Of course, it was not easy to walk around and talk to everybody throughout the event. Again, in hindsight, one possibility would have been to have Organizing Committee representatives go around the tables during dinner time to meet and thank everybody.
I want to reiterate, like everyone else, that this great event was a resounding success in spite of a few glitches. The success was due to the support given to the event from all those who attended and from those who were unable to attend but whole-heartedly supporting and encouraging us. The success was due to those who generously donated to the SPZP Fund so that we could make the best use of it for the event. The success was due to those who helped out with the event, and most of all, due to the hard working Executive Committee members under the leadership of Co-chairmen Benny Tan and Maurice Chee.
I would like to give a couple of examples of how dedicated the two co-chairs, Benny and Maurice, were. In the morning on the day of the Reunion, I was at Benny’s house. Benny showed me the 25-foot RIT Reunion and SPZP banner undergoing the final touch. I learned from Benny that the contractor was unable to deliver the banner on time as promised. But we must have it for the great event! Benny, with the help of his nephew, decided to make one themselves just the night before the Grand Reunion. They bought the canvas, the paint, and the brush; they designed the RIT logo and the characters; they rolled up their sleeves and succeeded in finishing the banner in time for the great event.
In the afternoon when I was at the Embassy Suite making the final arrangement for the arrival of the guests, I got a call from Maurice. He told me that he would be a little late coming to the hotel. I learned from him that, not being able to get a print shop to do the job on time and as desired, he was printing the name tags for the guests with his own computer.
This very special event brought us excitement and great emotion. We shared the joy and the happy moment. But I would think that the feelings of each of us must be different and unique. For me, at time I felt that I was back in the good old days of teaching at RIT. I saw Rector Dr. Aung Gyi, Mechanical Engineering Department Head Saya U Aung Khin, Chemical Engineering Department Head [and Rector] U Khin Aung Kyi, Saya U Nam Kock, other sayas, colleagues and students. At time I felt that I was still one of the students attending the classes.
My most memorable year at RIT was actually the first and the only BIT year, 1962. We had very few students in First Year. In fact, there weren’t that many engineering students altogether at BIT that year. Among my contemporaries were U Kyaw Aye (Shakoor), who is still in Burma and U Hla Myint (Charlie), who is now in Australia. We were the lucky ones who survived First Year Heat Engine taught by Saya U Aung Khin. I can assure you for those who’d never taken Heat Engine from Saya U Aung Khin how low the yield was from that class. Decades later, in the mid of this great reunion, seeing all the sayagyis, former colleagues, former students and new RIT graduates whom I had never met, I felt like I was in a dream.
Now that the great event is over, we are looking forward to meeting again in Singapore, Year 2002. I agree with Saya U Aung Khin, and let me quote from his article, that “we keep up with the changing situation in our home country regarding secondary technical education and decide on how inclusive we should be so that continuity can be maintained by embracing an expanding fraternity of engineers.” We all witnessed the group with exceptional talent gathering at the night of the reunion. Benny Tan in his article suggested the idea of harnessing the brainpower and energy of the group. I would think that the Year 2000 reunion was reminiscing of the past and sharing of the present, the Year 2002 reunion should in large part be the bridging of the present and the future. As to how, let’s start tapping on our talent pool now.
Professor Emeritus & Head of Civil Engineering at Rangoon Institute of Technology
Nativity
Born, brought up, and schooled in Taungdwingyi, Magwe Division, Myanmar, by my parents Saw Boon Koke (aka) U Win Myint and Daw Kyin Toke.
Family
Named as Maung Kyit Ing, the eldest son of six, three younger brothers (two Medical Doctors and one Head Master of State High School) and two younger sisters (one Medical Doctor and one Director of Education).
Married to Daw Khin Myint Myint.
Have two sons (Nicholas, a Medical Doctor and Daniel, a Computer Analyst) and one daughter (Penthea, a Medical Doctor), and three grand daughters.
Residence
Currently living with my spouse at 5947 Loma Avenue, Temple City, California 91780-1924, U.S.A.
Academic Career
School Leaving Certificate from Taungdwingyi State High School and Matriculated, 1948
University of Rangoon: Intermediate of Science, 1950
B.O.C. College: 1st Year B.Sc. Engineering, 1951
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT): BS (Civil Engineering), 1955
Cornell University: MS (Civil Engineering) with Major in Geodesy and Photogrammetry, 1956
Faculty of Engineering, University of Rangoon, 1957-1961
Colombo Plan Professor, University College, London, 1974-1975
Rangoon Institute of Technology (RIT), once also known as Burma Institute of Technology (BIT), Department of Civil Engineering, 1961-1988
Accomplishments
Professor & Head of Department of Civil Engineering, more than 31 years of service as educator and administrator at RIT, (1957-1988)
Director of Regional Colleges Development Project (Burmese Counterpart to Foreign Experts) (1978-1982), helped establish 20 Regional Colleges all over Burma
Chairman of Civil Engineering Construction Cooperative (CECC) (1976-1982), created job opportunity and On-the-Job-Training (OJT) for RIT and University Graduates, a Consultant Firm engaging the expertise of Faculty and Laboratory Staffs
Consultant Member of the Myanmar National Calendar Advisory Committee (1972-1988), helped revise and update Traditional Calendar Computation and Compilation Methods
Member of the Advisory Committee for Restoration of Bagan (1975-1988), helped strengthen Bagan Monuments (Stupas & Pagodas) and establish Photogrammetric Resources for rapid and precise mapping of Bagan Monuments.
Editor’s notes
Saya taught “Surveying” in my 2nd B.E. course in 1964 – 65
He is an expert in both Western & Eastern Astronomy, Western & Eastern Astrology.
He was Vice President, BARB
He served on the “Myanmar Calendar Advisory Board” for many years.
He wrote an article, which complements/augments Kogyi Koung’s narrative of the “Kyaikhtiyo ကျိုက်ထီးရိုးProject”.
He also wrote about “Bagan restoration” and “Civil Engineering Department”.
He retired from Caltrans when he was about 80 years young.
He passed away in Southern California.
Memories
Attended SPZP-2000 & gave speech
Welcome Dinner for SPZP-2000
Alumni mostly from SoCal meet annually for Lunch gathering with Saya. Dr. San Lin invited us to one gathering.
Lunch gathering
Dr. Aung Soe led the practical for Saya’s course on Surveying.
Saya 3U Min WunLunch gathering in Southern California
First native Dean to head the Faculty of Engineering of Rangoon University
Transferred to the Faculty of Engineering, RU from GTI (Government Technical Institute) where he was Principal and Professor of Civil Engineering
Credited for the “Twinning Program” between the Faculty of Engineering, RU and the prestigious universities in the USA
Per request from U Aung Khin (retired Professor & Head of Mechanical Engineering), Dr. Freddie Ba Hli (EE) — the only son — wrote about his beloved father for the commemorative issue of “RIT Alumni International Newsletter” for SPZP-2000. It has been re-posted in the newsletter updates and in the RIT Alumni Facebook Pages. Sayagyi passed away in his house on U Wisara Road in Rangoon.
Tribute to U Ba HliTribute
Interim Deans
Dr. Htin Aung
Dr. Maung Maung Kha
Dr. Tha Hla
U Po Tha
Dr. Htin Aung
Dr. Htin Aung
Principal, Rangoon College
Rector, Rangoon University
Vice Chancellor, Rangoon University
Interim Dean, Faculty of Engineering
Burmese Ambassador to Ceylon
Folklorist / Historian
Dr. Maung Maung Kha
Dr. Maung Maung Kha and family
Doctorate in Meteorological Physics from Imperial College, London University
Professor & Head of Physics Department at Rangoon University
Interim Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, Rangoon University
Longest tenured Rector
Rector of Rangoon University
Rector of RASU
Rector of University of Distance Learning
Plays the violin well
Accompanied U Ba Kyi (Artist, translator/composer of songs”) singing “Hne Yauk Hte Nay Chin De” in Burmese and English
Passed away in Yangon in 2005.
Centennial celebrations for his birthday were held in 2015.
Early Rectors
Dr. Htin Aung (RU)
Dr. Hla Myint (RU)
Dr. Tha Hla (RU)
U Kar (RU)
Dr. Maung Maung Kha (RU, RASU)
U Yone Mo (RIT)
Dr. Aung Gyi (RIT)
U Khin Aung Kyi (RIT)
U Maung Maung Than (RIT)
U Yone Mo
U Yone Mo
Retired Chief Engineer, Burma Railways
In 1961, the Faculty of Engineering, Rangoon University moved to Gyogone and had a new name Burma Institute of Technology (BIT).
Appointed Dean of Engineering at the BIT Gyogone Campus
Under the new Education System, BIT became an autonomous Institute with the name Rangoon Institute of Technology (RIT). He became the Rector.
Proponent of taking power naps
U Wynn Htain Oo (M72) remembers how his friends were having fun with the “Ye Punn ရေပန်း” (Water Foundation). Saya saw them, but did not scold them. He said with a smile, “Young men, you can go to the University Swimming Pool or to the Inya Kan ကန် (Lake)”.
Established the weekly “Yoke Shin ရုပ်ရှင်” at the Assembly Hall.
Dr. Aung Gyi (Professor of Civil Engineering) remembered seeing a letter from U Yone Mo (Rector) sent to U Yone Mo (Parent of a son who happened to visit his gambling friends at the hostel). Dr. Aung Gyi told the Admin to stow away the letter.
Ko Zaw Min Nawaday knows Sayagyi & his spouse (Daw Elizabeth Yone Mo, High Ranking Nurse at RGH and a close friend of Daw Khin May Than) very well. Sayagyi and Dr. Aung Gyi were in May Myo during one summer. Sayagyi asked Dr. Aung Gyi and Ko Zaw Min to accompany him. They ate Khauk Swe. Sayagyi reminded them not to tell about his “Khauk Swe” appetite to Sayagadaw.
Dr. Aung Gyi
Dr. Aung Gyi
Succeeded U Yone Mo as Rector
Rector (1971 – 1977)
See Posts
Memories of Dr. Aung Gyi
Speech at SPZP-2000
Coconut Episode
U Khin Aung Kyi
U Khin Aung Kyi
Stood 7th in Burma in the Matriculation of 1949
He did his B S and M S at MIT
Professor of Chemical Engineering at RIT
Succeeded Dr. Aung Gyi as Rector
Taught at Rengsit University in Bangkok, Thailand
Provided interview for HMEE-2012 Project
U Maung Maung Than
U Maung Maung Than
BS in Textile Engineering from Clemson University and MS from Lowell University
Professor & Head of Textile Engineering Department, RIT
Rector, YIT
DG, DHE
Chair, RIT Sports Council
Hobbies : Chinlon, Music
Helped establish Engineering at Defense Services Academy
Dr. Henry Cho Tun (Myint Tun) wrote:
I’m going to add a few things about Saya U Mg Mg Than. I’m very close to him and the family and the son is my student. We are all golfers and both of them are very good. Saya MM Than is as good as Saya Soe Paing and plays with clubs that are custom made for him. Hope the following would be useful additions. Thank you
He did his B S at Clemson and M S at Lowell.
He joined BIT in 1957 as lecturer -Head of Textile Engineering Department at BOC college
1964 was appointed Professor at RIT
Served as Rector, 1990-1992
Director General of The Department of Higher Education 1992-1994 and retired
Served as Director of Studies at DSTA (Defense Services Technical Academy)
Born from my parents U Ba Pu and Daw Aye Kyi in Namtu, Northern Shan States, Burma.
Education
Matriculated in 1949 from Myoma High School in Rangoon.
After passing the 1st year engineering, BOC College of Engineering, Rangoon University in 1952, went to Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, Mass., USA as a State scholar to join the second year engineering classes there.
Was in Dean’s list during the studies in MIT; and obtained B.S.(Civil Engineering) in 1955 and M.S.(Civil Engineering) in 1956.
Work
After working as a junior engineer in Tippetts- Abbett-MacCarthy- Stratton Engineers, New York and Green Engineering Co., Boston for a year, returned to Burma in 1957.
Joined the Civil Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, Rangoon University as an Assistant Lecturer.
Promoted to Lecturer and Head of the Department of Civil Engineering in 1958.
Marriage
Got married to Daw Mya Mya Mue in 1959. (Have a daughter and a son and two grand children from daughter who all live in Canada now.)
Doctorate
Went to the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada on Colombo Plan Scholarship in 1963 for further studies. Obtained Ph.D (Civil Engineering) specializing in structural engineering in 1965 from the University of Alberta in Edmonton.
Promotions
Returned to Burma in 1965 and promoted to Professor and Head of Civil Engineering Department in 1966.
Promoted to Rector of Rangoon Institute of Technology in 1971.
UNESCO
Left Burma to join UNESCO as Programme Specialist in Applied Sciences in 1977 in Unesco Regional Office in New Delhi, India.
IDRC
Migrated to Ottawa, Canada to join the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), Canadian Research funding Agency in Ottawa as an Associate Director in 1981.
Was then assigned to IDRC Regional Office in Singapore as Principal Program Officer from 1989 to 1992.
Was transferred to IDRC Regional Office in New Delhi as Principal Program Officer in 1992.
Was promoted to Regional Representative for IDRC Regional Office in New Delhi in 1995.
Retired from IDRC in June 1997 and now settled down in Nepean, Ontario, Canada with wife.
I look forward to seeing you all soon.
With Metta, Aung Gyi
Updates (by Hla Min)
Welcome dinner for SPZP-2000
U Thein Aung (Met72, Saya) was Associate Editor for the commemorative issue of RIT Alumni Newsletter for SPZP-2000. He compiled the biographies of the sayas and sayamas attending SPZP-2000. He also served as co-emcee.
Saya has four grandchildren.
I was a guest on two occasions (around SPZPs) hosted by Ko Wai Lwin in Yangon (a) one for Ma Ma Emma’s birthday (b) another for welcoming Sayagyi DAG and other sayas at U Nyan Tun U’s residence.
Met Saya during his trips to California
Asian Heritage Museum
We spent a few nights at Ivan’s house. Saya & Ma Ma were also there to attend the RIT-UCC gathering hosted by Ivan
NJ Gathering
Ko Ivan, Ko Fred, my spouse and I stayed at Saya’s house for two nights in 2015. Thanks.
Saya’s house
iNapa Winery
iNapa 1iNapa 2iNapa 3
Group Photos
With U Moe Aung At PZPBirthday for Daw EmmaThousand Islands FerryWith Ivan and HM
Worked for Hewlett Packard, Agilent and several US companies before moving to Taiwan to work there.
Saya is retired. He is back in the USA
Activities
Past President, BAPS
Editor, BAPS Newsletter
Founding Member, RIT Alumni International
Co-chair, Steering Committee for SPZP-2000
Proposed “U Nyo Win Act — If there are less than the guaranteed number of attendees at SPZP-2000, the core organizers must chip in the costs.” Thanks in part to the five Golden Sponsors of SPZP-2000, the Act did not need to be enforced.
Wrote about SPZP-2000 in the Post Reunion series.
Founding Member, NorCal RITAA
Served as BOD (Board of Director).
BAPS
Past President, BAPS
Editor, BAPS Newsletter
BAPS Newsletter
Honoring U Nyo Win, Ko Benny and Ko Henry
by Hla Min
On November 9, 2000, there was a special dinner at Ming’s seafood restaurant in Sunset, San Francisco to honor Saya U Nyo Win (M65), out-going president of BAPS and to welcome Ko Benny Tan (M70), the in-coming president. There were 30+ attendees. Saya U Nyo Win was presented a plaque in recognition of his leadership and services to BAPS.
A plaque was also awarded to Henry Lim (RIT Alumni) for his services as Editor of the BAPS newsletter. It grew from a 4 pager to a 20 pager.
BEA to BAPS
The first ever RIT Grand Reunion and SPZP did not happen out of the blue. One of the first seeds was sown with the founding of Burmese Engineers Association (BEA). The presidents Saya U Htin Paw (EE58), Saya U San Tun (M59) and Saya U KC Chiu (ChE63) — with the able support of Daw Khin Hta Yee (Lily Win, T72) — organized mini-reunions and reunions in the Bay Area. At the welcome party for Saya U Aung Khin, the idea of merging BEA with a younger association BASTS to become BAPS (Burmese American Professional Society) was proposed and overwhelmingly approved.
BAPS Picnic to RIT Alumni International
At one of the BAPS picnics, several EC members — Saya Allen Htay, Saya U Nyo Win, Saya KC Chiu, Saya U Maung Maung, Ko Benny Tan, Ko Maurice Chee, — held an impromptu meeting with me and asked how they could support Ko Khin Maung Zaw (KMZ) and me regarding the ex-rit web site in general and other activities [such as Grand Reunion] in general.
Later, at Ko Benny’s house, the Bay Area Alumni Group was formed. The rest is history.
U Nyo Win
According to the bye-laws of BAPS, a President can serve for at most two terms. Saya U Nyo Win served two terms. Saya also chaired the meetings by the Organizing Committee of the RIT Reunion and SPZP. His colorful meeting minutes are enjoyable to read.
He is an outstanding writer and an excellent speech giver. Saya wears two hats: BAPS for the Bay Area activities and RIT Alumni International for activities related to his alma mater world-wide. Our kudos to you, Saya.
After Dinner
We went to Ko Aye Tun (Anthony Ng, M76)’s house, which is within walking distance from the restaurant. A preview of the raw / semi-edited copy of the video taken at the RIT Reunion dinner and SPZP took place. The 2+ hour footage caught several viewers by surprise. The “Waing gyi putt putt du way way” dance — started by Diana (Myint Myint Sein, M70) and Richard Chao (Htin Aung, M70) — was joined by Saya U Khin Aung Kyi, Saya U Min Wun, and several alums.
It was close to two o’clock in the morning when I got back home.
RIT Alumni International
SF Bay Area RIT Alumni Advisory Group
Founding Member
Core Organizer, SPZP-2000
Wrote “Appreciation of SPZP-2000” for Post Reunion
SPZP-2000 Organizers
Article for Post Reunion (SPZP-2000)
After the Grand Reunion and Saya Pu Zaw Pu (SPZP), I feel like most of us still excited but completely deflated. I just have enough energy left to think about it and talk about it, but not enough to write about it. But with Ko Hla Min’s call for the end of the post reunion article at number 36, I want to catch this last chance to write a few words before the close of the book, so to say.
First, as the one of the co-chairmen of the Steering Committee, I’d like to add a few words to U Myat Htoo’s article on the apology and thanks to the all the sayagyis, sayas, and fellow alumni. We’d planned and tried to make the Reunion and SPZP a success. I agree with U Myat Htoo that there were areas of deficiencies that we overlooked and were unable to cover. Let me mention a few that we could have done better to run the program more smoothly. It may also be helpful hindsight to pass on to 2002 reunion team.
The reception area was too crowded. We expected 300 plus people would be converging on to the narrow aisle at about 5 O’clock. We tried to arrange two tables in parallel to allow more people to check-in, sign the book, receive the gifts and be directed to the appropriate tables. The crowd was larger than expected. Our seating plan didn’t help. It was designed to group people according to their requests of having close friends together. Unfortunately, the attendees’ names were not listed in alphabetical order with table number assigned. It was very time consuming to locate the table number for the guest. This resulted in people congregating in the check-in area in spite of the ushers’ effort to help.
We under estimated the time for picture taking. It turned out it was the most exciting event. We had group photos of every combination one could imagine. Getting everyone to follow the program for the number of pictures taken was not possible. It ended up a half hour photo session was three times longer. The good thing was, everyone liked it and everyone wanted it. In order to keep the program moving in a reasonable time, our MC U Myat Htoo had to exercise some crowd control. I hope everyone share U Myat Htoo’s difficulty for so doing.
The program was overloaded. Our program called for speeches from sayagyis, sayas, and the alums; opportunity for the audience to contribute to fun, entertainments, singing and jokes. Everyone appeared to be so happy and excited. All of us had so much to talk about, so much fun to have and so much joy to share that hardly anyone could concentrate and follow the program allocated time. But, isn’t that the expectation everyone had of the reunion and SPZP?
We did not allocate sufficient time to meet and thank everybody. Of course, it was not easy to walk around and talk to everybody throughout the event. Again, in hindsight, one possibility would have been to have Organizing Committee representatives go around the tables during dinner time to meet and thank everybody.
I want to reiterate, like everyone else, that this great event was a resounding success in spite of a few glitches. The success was due to the support given to the event from all those who attended and from those who were unable to attend but whole-heartedly supporting and encouraging us. The success was due to those who generously donated to the SPZP Fund so that we could make the best use of it for the event. The success was due to those who helped out with the event, and most of all, due to the hard working Executive Committee members under the leadership of Co-chairmen Benny Tan and Maurice Chee.
I would like to give a couple of examples of how dedicated the two co-chairs, Benny and Maurice, were. In the morning on the day of the Reunion, I was at Benny’s house. Benny showed me the 25-foot RIT Reunion and SPZP banner undergoing the final touch. I learned from Benny that the contractor was unable to deliver the banner on time as promised. But we must have it for the great event! Benny, with the help of his nephew, decided to make one themselves just the night before the Grand Reunion. They bought the canvas, the paint, and the brush; they designed the RIT logo and the characters; they rolled up their sleeves and succeeded in finishing the banner in time for the great event.
In the afternoon when I was at the Embassy Suite making the final arrangement for the arrival of the guests, I got a call from Maurice. He told me that he would be a little late coming to the hotel. I learned from him that, not being able to get a print shop to do the job on time and as desired, he was printing the name tags for the guests with his own computer.
This very special event brought us excitement and great emotion. We shared the joy and the happy moment. But I would think that the feelings of each of us must be different and unique. For me, at time I felt that I was back in the good old days of teaching at RIT. I saw Rector Dr. Aung Gyi, Mechanical Engineering Department Head Saya U Aung Khin, Chemical Engineering Department Head [and Rector] U Khin Aung Kyi, Saya U Nam Kock, other sayas, colleagues and students. At time I felt that I was still one of the students attending the classes.
My most memorable year at RIT was actually the first and the only BIT year, 1962. We had very few students in First Year. In fact, there weren’t that many engineering students altogether at BIT that year. Among my contemporaries were U Kyaw Aye (Shakoor), who is still in Burma and U Hla Myint (Charlie), who is now in Australia. We were the lucky ones who survived First Year Heat Engine taught by Saya U Aung Khin. I can assure you for those who’d never taken Heat Engine from Saya U Aung Khin how low the yield was from that class. Decades later, in the mid of this great reunion, seeing all the sayagyis, former colleagues, former students and new RIT graduates whom I had never met, I felt like I was in a dream.
Now that the great event is over, we are looking forward to meeting again in Singapore, Year 2002. I agree with Saya U Aung Khin, and let me quote from his article, that “we keep up with the changing situation in our home country regarding secondary technical education and decide on how inclusive we should be so that continuity can be maintained by embracing an expanding fraternity of engineers.” We all witnessed the group with exceptional talent gathering at the night of the reunion. Benny Tan in his article suggested the idea of harnessing the brainpower and energy of the group. I would think that the Year 2000 reunion was reminiscing of the past and sharing of the present, the Year 2002 reunion should in large part be the bridging of the present and the future. As to how, let’s start tapping on our talent pool now.
U Soe Paing, U Win Paing (U Wara), Dr. Myo Paing, U Kyaw Paing
Family
Parents : ICS U Paing & Daw Oo Yin
Siblings : Dr. Myo Paing, U Win Paing (Sayadaw U Wara, GBNF), U Kyaw Paing
Spouse : Daw Saw Yu Tint (T69)
U & Mrs. Soe Paing
Children : Two sons & One daughter
Grandchildren : 3
Education & Work
He matriculated from St. Paul’s High School in 1956. He stood 13th in Burma and won the Collegiate Scholarship.
At the Convocation of 1958, he won two Gold Medals — one for the Highest Total Marks in I.Sc.(A) and I.Sc.(B); and another for Joint Highest Marks in Mathematics for I.Sc.(A) and I.Sc.(B).
He received a States Scholarship to study BSEE and MSEE at Stanford University.
He joined the RIT Electrical Engineering Department as Assistant Lecturer.
RIT EE
He helped Sayagyi Dr. Chit Swe found Universities’ Computer Center. He transferred to UCC as Systems Manager in charge of Systems Division. He later also managed the Operations Division.
He received M.Sc.(Computer Science) from Southampton University in UK.
He worked for UNDP Projects in several countries.
Mentor
He was my mentor at RIT and UCC. He allowed U Aung Zaw (GBNF) and me to co-author Texts, User Guides and Manuals for use at UCC.
HMEE
He was an early supporter of the HMEE project. He prepared a draft for the HMEE book and handed it to Saya U Aung Hla Tun (GBNF) & team. He and U Ohn Khine (M70) translated Section 1 of the HMEE Book and summarized Section 2 of the book.
Posts
Post from March 2011
I went to the University Central Library and managed to get scanned photos from the Engg Student Annual Magazines 51-52, 52-53, 56-57 and 60-61. Photos include photos of Sayas, students of that year. From these when can know about the Sayas at that year. We can also identify the students at that year.
U Sein Hlaing (Prof EE) was a final year student in 1951-52 and became an A/L starting 1952-53. Saya U Tin Swe was a student in 1951-52 and 52-53. He was a member of the Eng Student Union and the victorious Prome Hall football team. Ex-Burma Selected Footballer U Chan Tha (Chief Engineer, Roads, Rangoon Municipal) was the Captain. U Khin Si (husband of RIT Finance Officer Daw Yin Yin Htway and part time lecturer Textile) and U Tin Si (U Khin Si’s brother and tennis doubles partnership that won RU as well as national championships) were members of the Prome hall team.
The 1956-57 magazine contains photos when the new Leik Khone Engineering Buildings were inaugurated in 1956 Nov by the Prime Minister at that time U Ba Swe.
In the 1952-53 magazine I found out that Mr. Robert Hole (ex-EE, Highways, PWD, PWC, CC; uncle of Percy Maung Maung and uncle Bobby to me) was the English editor. I called Uncle Bobby and requested him to write something about his engineering student days, his teachers and fellow students. He agreed and asked for about three weeks time.
I need to go back and to the UCL to get more info from the RIT handbook 1966-67 and photos from the Hlyat Sit Sar Saung.
U Ba Than has donated some of his Engineering College photos to the MES library and I need to go there to check up on the photos.
Post from May 2000
The mention of RIT, BIT, and BOC college in the first newsletter bring back memories of our good old days in Rangoon University. Although we did not graduate from Rangoon University, we had a really great two and a half years there before we went for studies aroad under government scholarship.
Our first year 1956-1957 was in Yankin College. Yankin was a campus of RU for first year science students. It is now Yankin State High School No. XX? Hteedan was for the 1st year arts students. Our second year I.Sc. was at the RU campus itself which we refer to as Main. The Arts students have classes at Judson. That time the new Social Science Building (now Institute of Economics) was completed. We had our second year ISc exams in that new building.
Then it is our 1st year B.Sc. Engineering course at the new Faculty of Engineering in Prome Road (now Institute of Medicine I). We attended for six months till December 1958. That campus was designed and built especially for the Faculty of Engineering. Civil, Electrical, Mechanical Departments were there but Chemical, Textile, etc. were in the old BOC building at the back.
The 1st year classes were from 7 to 9 a.m. for Mathematics. We then have a one hour break and we start the engineering courses at 10 a.m. We usually have a snack during the break at a small cafe between Tagaung and Prome Halls. Those halls were only for engineering students then. The mathematics (Pure & Applied) lecturers were from India hired under contract. We had three engineering courses: Building Materials taught by Mr. Tan Ba Hli (the Dean of Engineering himself). Heat Engines taught by U Aung Khin. Principles of Electrical Engineering taught by U Kyaw Tun. We had EE lab with Ko Htin Paw and Ko Ba Nyunt as lab instructors. We also had engineering drawing with Ko San Hla Aung and Allen Htay (for Chem, Tex, etc.) as instructors.
Those were the days when Rangoon University was one of the best universities in SE Asia and Asia. It also had a really nice campus.
RIT Saya Soccer Team
Reading about the communications from Richard Khoo (Dr. Aung Soe, C61) and seeing the list of Sayas in the 1966-67 handbook brings back memories of our soccer team.
As I remember it was from 1964 to 1968 or 1969. We played against (i) the senior students of different majors Civil, Mechanical, Electrical etc. (ii) the sayas at GTI and Natmauk Technical Institute (iii) the Burma Air Force officers.
We also played in the annual tournament for RIT Staff. The staff teams are the Sayas, Workshop staff, Lab staff, Hostel staff and the youth team from the RIT compound.
As I remember (other Sayas & graduates may correct me) these were the people in the team.
Goalkeepers :
Richard Khoo (Civil)
Maurice Kyaw Zaw (Chemistry),
Sein Myint/Ah Sein (Petroleum)
Defenders :
Ko Maung Maung Than (Textile)
Ko Aung Soe (Math)
Ko Aung Hla Tun (Met)
Ko Sann Tint (Elect)
Christopher Maung (Civil)
U Tin Swe (Elect)
Ko Tin Win (Mech)
Midfielders :
Ko Tin Maung Nyunt (Agri)
Desmond Rogers (English)
Ko Khine Oo (Elect)
Ko Maung Maung Win (Mech)
Ko Tin Hlaing II (Mech)
Forwards :
Ko Pike Htwe (Chemistry)
Ko Aung (Math)
Ko Tin Hlaing I (Agri)
Ko Soe Min (Elect)
Ko Kyin Soe (Auto)
myself (Elect)
We rarely practiced but we enjoyed playing the games. We split games with the GTI sayas & the Air Force officers. We beat the Natmauk sayas and we won more than we lost in the RIT staff tournament. But I am sure we lost more than we won against the final year students. Would appreciate comments on this; especially on the names I missed in the team.
