Saya Allen Htay’s books [donated by Daw Mu Mu Khin]
Ko Maurice Chee’s books
Ko Victor Wong (King Wong)’s books
Talks
Ko Maurice Chee (Hla Myint Thein) PE system
Dr. L Sein Myint Fire codes and safety
Ko Dennis Chee (Thein Htun Aung) Traffic Control
ChE sayas Seminar
Sayas and Alumni
Saya Dr. Aung Gyi, Saya U Min Wun and Saya Dr. San Hla Aung (C58) Articles about RIT and Civil Engg
Saya Allen Htay (C58, GBNF) Founding member and President of RIT Alumni International, which hosted SPZP-2000 His article, “Brother, can you afford US $500?” led to five Golden Sponsors and many donors — large and small
Saya U Aung Khin, Saya U Ba Than and Saya U Maung Maung Win (M61) Memoirs
Saya U Khin Aung Kyi Interview about Chemical Engg
Saya U Myo Myint Sein and Saya Dr. Koung Nyunt (A67, GBNF) Articles about Architecture and Dept
Saya U Soe Khaw (GBNF) Brief history of Mining Engg
Saya U Thit (GBNF) Brief History of Metallurgy Dept
Saya U Myo Kyi (EE59) List of EE sayas
Saya U Aung Hla Tun (Met) Chief Editor, RIT Annual Magazines Leader, HMEE-2012 project Leader, HMEE-2018 project
Saya U Soe Paing (EE, UCC) Compiled and wrote draft for HMEE-2012 project Wrote articles about RIT and UCC
Saya U Moe Aung (EE63) Chief Editor, RIT Annual Magazines Chief Editor, Hlyat Sit Sar Saung Chair, SPZP-2002 and SPZP-2010 Commemorative SDY Sar Saung for SPZP-2002, SPZP-2007 and SPZP-2010 Commemorative SDY Magazine for Shwe YaDu, SPZP-2016 articles and poems refresher courses at Electrical Inspectorate
69ers Monthly breakfast gathering at Taw Win Hnin Si (Royal Rose) Special events for 30th, 40th, GJ and 50th Anniversaries U Aung Min and team (69er Health Care Fund) U Shwe and team (EE69er Health Care Fund) U Khin Maung Oo (Ivan Lee, M69) : Golden sponsor for SPZP-2000 and organizer of annual RIT-UCC Gatherings in New Jersey, USA
Class of 70 and 71 (aka Combined 1st BE Intake of 64 and 65) Annual Acariya Pu Zaw Pwes Health care for sayas and selected classmates Monthly gathering at Sein Hlyan (reminder by U Khin Maung Than and U Soe Khine)
Sayama Daw Tin Tin Myint (Emma, ChE70) Co-founder of Dana Sri Lanka Co-founder of Triple Gems Publication Singapore Pon Chan Chan Group with Don Min U Yu Swan (M67)
U Thaung Sein (Steeve Kay, EC70) Multiple Golden Sponsor for SPZP Steeve and Helen Kay Health Care Fund for RIT Sayas CABA (Charitable Alliance of Burmese Americans) KFF (Kay Family Foundation)
U Yu Beng (Benny Tan, M70) Multiple Golden Sponsor for SPZP CABA
U Ohn Khine (M70) Volunteer for SPZP, SDYF, Shwe YaDu, HMEE-2012, HMEE-2108 Compiled Supplemental CD for HMEE book with U Hla Min (EC69) Translated Section 1 of HMEE book Summarized Section 2 of HMEE book
U Zaw Min Nawaday (EP70) Memories of RIT 64 – 70 (with “hnan phyu” by U Ohn Khine)
Daw Than Yi (EP70) Associate Editor of Hlyat Sit Sar Saung with Dr. San Oo (EP67) Wrote books and articles with the pen name “Maubin Ma Shwe Than”
U Soe Aung (M/Auto70) Secretary, RIT Ah Nu Pyinnya Ah Thin
U Wynn Htain Oo (M72) Patron of RITAA Patron of SDYF Fund raising for SPZP, GJ, YTU Library Modernization M72 Gatherings
U Myint Pe (M72) Lu Shwin Daw “Seik Kyee” Revival of Cartoon Box Compilation of selected RIT Cartoons MES and YE
M73 Final year Hovercraft project H.E. U Khin Maung Cho, U Hla Win and team (supervised by Saya U Tu Myint)
U Myo Myint (M74) Pon Tus, Paintings and cartoons Donation from sales at Exhibit
H.E. U Win Khaing (M75) RUBC Gold Past President, MES Organizer for SPZP-2004 and SPZP-2012
U Than Po (M75) Piano, Pattala Composer and Zat Saya
Daw Mar Mar Yee (M75) Htee Yein (RU Golden Jubilee) Minthamee (SDY Ah Nyein) Vocals with paino accompaniment by U Tin Tun (M71)
U Tin Latt (M84) Blog of SDYF and RITAA
U Khin Maung Lwin (“Kyet Taw”) Class of 87 & 91, Golf
Nan Khin Nwe (M92, Intake of 83) Fund raiser for YTU Library Modernization, SPZP and other projects
Retirees in the San Franncisco Bay Area Monthly lunch gathering organized by Ko Maurice Chee (M75)
Oldies in Singapore monthly lunch or dinner Some regulars are now GBNF e.g. Saya U Thein Lwin Some are now having health problems e.g. Saya U Kyaw Sein Attendees usually include Saya U Tu Myint, Saya Dr. Tin Hlaing, U Tint Lwin (Daniel, M69), U Myint Thin (M71), U Nyan Win Shwe (M72), U Tin Aung Win (M73)
Brother Austin, Brother Xavier and Miss Hong Kong (Amelia Kyi) taught us English at St. Paul’s High School.
Relieving teachers include Saya Lewis and Saya Tims.
Intermediate College
Daw Tinsa Maw Naing and Daw Khin Kyi Kyi taught English in our last ever I.Sc(A) class at Leik Khone in 1963.
Daw Tin Sa Maw Naing
Dr. Ba Maw (Sayama’s father) was a Lecturer in English in the early days at Rangoon University and was Adipati during the World War.
Bo Yan Naing (Sayama’s spouse) was a member of Thirty Comrades.
For some time Daw Tinsa was kept under surveillance and/or jailed by the authorities.
Sayama later moved to US to spend time with her children.
Kinsa Maw Naing (Sayama’s daughter) and Ko Tha Aung were core organizers for RIT Alumni gatherings in Canada.
RIT
We joined 2nd BE in November 1964. We had to study nine subjects including English.
English Department
RIT English Department Daw Yin Yin Mya (Terry, former Beauty Queen) was Head of Department. She later moved to Australia.
Daw Sheila Saing (brother of Drs. Harry, Victor and Shirley) was Deputy Head of Department. She and Dr. Zin Aung later moved to Thailand.
After a screening test, I was assigned to Saya Desmond Rodger’s class. Saya prefers “Des”. His hobbies include Scrabble, Music and Soccer. He performed at BBS. Saya later moved to UK and Canada where he studied and/or taught “English as a Specialty Language”. He published two books in Canada. I was a proof reader for his book on Vocabulary. He wrote articles for our Newsletter. It has details of his colleagues and former students.
U Win Mra was Pole Vaulting Champion and Burma’s Elvis Presley. He and Saya Des performed at BBS. Saya was Ambassador to several countries and UN. He served as Chair of Myanmar Human Rights Commission. Ko Khin Maung Lay (Mutu) was a member.
U Khin and Saya Des organized the RIT Scrabble Club and contests. They won prizes at the Scrabble tournaments at Guardian and YMCA. U Khin kept Chambers Dictionary and Jones Pronunciation Dictionary – used to verify challenge in Scrabble games — on his desk. Saya moved to Taiwan. He wrote an article for our newsletter.
Joe Ba Maung (GBNF) was National Tennis Champion for Singles, Doubles and Mixed Doubles. He moved to Burma Railways. He was forced to retire after 8-8-88.
Sao Kan Gyi (Tony, GBNF) wrote columns with the pen name Khemarat. He and Saya Des organized the Debate between 1st BE and 2nd BE. Ahmed Soorma, Roland Thein (Khin Maung Win), Bobby Myo Tun, Walter Tan and Ko Zaw Min were some of the contestants.
U Kyaw Lwin Hla joined UNDP.
Naw Charity Sein U retired as Professor.
Daw Khin Saw Tint (Ann, GBNF) is a bilingual author. She was a great grandmother.
Daw Tin Tin Oo (Tony) joined her husband (who retired as Ambassador) on his foreign office assignments.
Daw Muriel and U Aung (Alfonso) moved to Thailand.
I may have missed some. Several more (e.g Daw Kin Kin Chit Maung) joined the department in later years.
U Ba Hli (Dean) Principal of GTI and Professor of Civil Engineering Dean, Faculty of Engineering, Rangoon University Credited with “Twinning” of RU with prestigious US universities Three generations of Engineers
Saya U Ba Hli, Saya H Num Kok, Saya Allen Htay (C58)
Dr. Htin Aung (Interim Dean) Principal, Rangoon College Rector, Rangoon University Vice Chancellor, Rangoon University
Dr. Htin Aung
Dr. Maung Maung Kha (Interim Dean) Professor, Physics Department, Rangoon University Rector, Rangoon University Rector, RASU
Dr. Maung Maung Kha
U Po Tha (Interim Dean) Professor, Chemistry Department, Rangoon University Uncle of Saya U Aung Khin (M)
U Yone Moe (Rector) Dean, BIT Rector, RIT
U Yone Mo
U Maung Maung Than (Rector) Former Professor, Textile Engineering Passed away at Bahosi Hospital in Yangon, Myanmar in November 2012 Early beneficiary of the “Twinning Program” Chairman, RIT Sports Committee Hobbies : Chinlon and Music
Born of parents U San Shwe and Daw Than Tin in 1933
Attended the East Rangoon Methodist School in Rangoon
Matriculated in 1949 from East Rangoon Methodist Stood Seventh in the First Division Received the Collegiate Scholarship awarded by the Government.
Attended I.Sc (A) and I.Sc (B) in (1949 and 1950).
Continued to study in BOC College of Engineering Took Mechanical Engineering.
Upon completion of Second year Mechanical Engineering, he was selected as a Government sponsored Scholar in the Spring of 1954 at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), USA.
Completed the Bachelor of Science Degree in Chemical Engineering in 1956.
Received his Masters of Science Degree also in Chemical Engineering in 1957. In his Masters course he was enrolled in the coveted Chemical Engineering Practice School.
Went back to Burma in 1957
Appointed Lecturer and Head of Department in Chemical Engineering.
In 1959 he married Daw Mya Mya Than, daughter of U Sein Nyo and Daw Than Yin.
Appointed full Professorship in 1966
Promoted to Rectorship in 1977.
Very active as a consultant from the academia in the design and construction of the two fertilizer plants (Sale and Kyun Chaung); the Sittang Paper Mill and other various state owned chemical plants.
Retired from the Rector’s position in 1988.
Because of his passion for teaching he could not stay retired for long and continued working in Thailand at the Rangsit University as a Professor. He is the only foreigner accepted in the Thai Institute of Chemical Engineering.
Passed away in 2020
Editor’s Notes
For SPZP-2012, Saya U Khin Aung Kyi gave an interview.
Chemical Engineering courses were initially offered with contract sayas from India.
When the then newly minted Saya taught, there was “testing of nerves” by some students.
After Saya mentioned that an Indian saya would be brought in if the noisy atmosphere persists. That solved the problem.
Sayagyi is the father of Saya Dr. Freddie Ba Hli (GBNF) and grandfather of Daw Tin Tin Hlaing (UCC), U Tha Hlaing (EC83) and Ko Min Thet Tun (GBNF). He was the first Burmese native to serve as Dean of the Faculty of Engineering. He is credited for proposing the “Twinning” of Rangoon University with prestigious universities in the US.
Saya Dr. Freddie Ba Hli wrote about his father in the commemorative issue of “RIT Alumni International Newsletter” for the First RIT Grand Reunion and SPZP. Sayagyi U Aung Khin wrote the introduction.
U Tha Tun
Saya U Tha Tun served as Acting Head of Architecture at BIT/RIT.
He was described by Saya Dr. Koung Nyunt in his article, “Two famous songs from RIT Architecture”. U Than Tun was the co-author.
Early students
Architecture courses were first offered at the Faculty of Engineering, Rangoon University in 1954.
The first batch including Saya U Myo Myint Sein graduated in 1958.
The second batch including Saya Dr. Lwin Aung and U Bo Gyi in 1959. Both entered monkhood after retirement.
The third batch which graduated in 1960 included
U Khin Maung Yin (Modern art proponent, film director, GBNF)
U Aung Kyee Myint (Retired head of architecture at PWD)
U Tin Htoon (A 60, RUBC Captain/Gold, ARAE Champion, SEAP medallist in yachting, co-founder, Triple Gem Publications)
U Victor Pe Win (Retired in Texas)
U Koon Yin Chu (First in Burma in 54 Matriculation, gold medalist in Final Year Architecture) …
Miss S. Begum was the earliest known female engineering/architecture student, but she left for India before graduation. Her classmates are from the third batch.
Group Picture
Architecture
The Group Picture shows Architecture Students (who were then in the 2nd, 3rd and 4th/Final years of the old system). In the new Education system, they would be from the 4th to 6th B.Arch.
The picture without captions was first sent by U Victor Pe Win to U Tin Htoon, who asked his dhamma friend Ko “Henry” Htaik San ( RUBC Gold, Secretary of Southern California Burmese Associations, photographer, videographer, …) to touch up the picture.
Per U Tin Htoon’s request, U Victor Pe Win annotated the “touched-up” photo as follows:
First Row L to R:- U Kin Mg Tint, U Tha Tun, Mr. H. A. Eswara, Mr. R. K. H. Johnson (Head of Arch. Dept.), U Ba Hli (Dean of Faculty of Engineering), Mr. O. Nagler, U Aung Myint, Miss S. Begum (2nd Yr)
Second Row:- Myint San (Final), Htun Lwin (3rd), Kyaw Zaw (Final), Bo Gyi (3rd), Tin Tun Kin (Final), T. T. Kiat (2nd), Mg Mg Gyi (Final), Mg Mg Ohn (2rd), Myint Tun (3rd)
Third Row:– Jack Min (3rd), Htay Ngwe (Final), Pe Win (2nd), V. Leong (3rd), Tham.T.Yu (2nd), K.Y.Chu (2nd), H.Hla Myint (2nd), Aung Kyee Myint (2nd), S.Hsiang Wu (2nd)
Fourth Row:- Myo Myint Sein (Final), Tin Mg Yin (Final), Aung Thin (Final), Myint Thein (Final), Tin Htoon (2nd ), Tun Than (Final), Kin Mg Yin (2nd) Hla Kyi (2nd)
Absentee:– Lwin Aung (3rd.)
Editor’s Notes:
If someone has a copy of the photo, please share it with me. Since many photos in my album do not have recognizable names, it takes some time to find them. Right now, I am in the process of updating the contents.
Dr. Chit Swe, Daw Khin Khin Latt and two youngest sons Dr. Chit Swe & Daw Khin Khin Latt Dr. Chit SweDr. Chit Swe at Pu Zaw PweDr. Chit Swe with UCC alumni in SydneyDr. Chit Swe with UCC Donlaba
Sayagyi Dr. Chit Swe is a Pioneer of Computer Systems, Education and Applications in Burma.
He founded Universities’ Computer Center (UCC).
He retired as Rector of Rangoon Arts and Science University (RASU).
He continued teaching and supervising graduate students in Thailand and Australia.
He passed away peacefully in Sydney, Australia in November 2019.
Sayagyi’s Family
Sayagadaw Daw Khin Khin Latt,
Five children (Dr. Daw Moe Thu, U Thu Ta, Dr. Kyaw Thu, Dr. Swe Latt, U Chit Khin)
Seven grandchildren and
Three great grand children
Dr. Chit Swe and Daw Khin Khin Latt fondly named their younger sons as Swe Latt and Chit Khin.
Obituary
Soon Kwyay
In memory of Saya, soon kwyay was offered in Sydney, Australia and Pyinmana, Myanmar
Soon Kwyay in SydneySoon Kyway in ElaThanks from the family
Condolences
Hundreds (and may be Thousands) have expressed their sadness for the loss of Sayagyi in the newspapers and in the Facebook pages.
The following is a sampling.
U Ba Than (M.A., Retired Director General, Thuwanna), Saya Chit’s classmate in 1947 at the first I.Sc.(A) class offered at Mandalay University and was a fellow teacher, is saddened by the loss of “Ko Chit Swe”.
Thin Char Mi Thar Su of the University of Yangon is indebted to Sayagyi Dr. Chit Swe for his dedication to the dissemination of Mathematics
Myanmar Naing Gan Thin Char Ah Thinn offers condolences to the family members of Sayagyi Dr. Chit Swe (Retired Rector) and Sayagyi U Aung Sein (Retired Associate Professor)
ex-UCC Mi Tha Su (UCC Alumni) expresses their sorrow to the Founder of Computers and Computer Education in Burma. Members from Myanmar and beyond (e.g. Singapore, USA, Australia) can never forget Sayagyi and his passion for transforming his students from good to better and great professionals, educators, researchers, and socially responsible citizens of the world.
U Win Thein (Padamyar Winhtein) has updated Wikipedia to include Saya’s pioneering work.
Saya U Aung Zaw (AZ) spent five decades or so under the tutelage of Saya Chit. He organized mini-PZPs for Saya Chit. I attended one gathering in 2006.
UCSY Facebook page remembers Saya as the pioneer Saya for Computer Education in Burma / Myanmar.
