Category: Uncategorized

by Hla Min

Updated : September 2026

U Lun (Thakin Kodaw Hmaing)

• Principal, Ah Myo Tha Kaw Leik (အမျိုးသားကောလိပ် National College)

U Than Tun

• Father of Ashin Pannagavesaka (Bobby Myo Tun, A69)
• He passed away in his late 90s.

U Han Zaw

• Retired minister
• Spouse: Daw Thwin Thwin Aye Hmi (A69)

U Ba Khin

• He matriculated from St. Paul’s High School and was First in the whole of Burma.

• He was the first native Auditor General. He also managed four Directorates.
• He is a renowned Vipassana teacher. His teacher was Saya Thet. His disciple was Goenkaji.

U Thein Oo

• He transferred from Commerce Department to UCC.
• He founded MCC with U Tin Win Aung, and Ace with his spouse Daw Than Than Tint.
• He is Past President of MCF.

Dr. Thein Htut and Dr. Nyunt Win

• Dr. Thein Htut is the son of Colonel Min Sein and Dr. Daw Yin May (first Triple FRCS). He is RUBC Gold.
• Dr. Nyunt Win (Eddie, GBNF) is the grandson of U Po Sa.
• They moved to Australia.

Theikpan Maung Wa

• ICS U Sein Tin
• First student in Masters course for Burmese
• Author
• Cofounded Khit San Sar Pay with Zawgyi and Minthuwun

San Shwe Myint

• Character created by Cartoon Myint Thein

Pathan

• By Ashin Nandamarlabhivansa (Ph.D)

Pediatricians

• Credit: Dr. Thane Oke Kyaw Myint

RASU Rowing

• Credit: Dr. Nyan Taw

Roll of Honor

• Donors for YTU Library Modernization

UNSG (United Nations Secretary General)

• U Thant was the 3rd UNSG and the First Asian UNSG.

University Athletes

• They represented Burma in the Second SEAP Games (Rangoon, December 1961)
• Credit: Dr. Richard Yu Khin

U Wun

• Laureate Poet — Minthuwun
• Lexicographer — မြန်မာအဘိဓာန်
• Cofounder of Khit San Sar Pay with Zawgyi and Theikpan Maung Wa
• Head, RU Translation
• Professor at RU; Visiting Professor at Osaka University

U Kyaw Mya Thein (Phy, ICST)

• He wrote “Kar Ku La Thinchar” (Calculus in Burmese).
• He retired as Pro-Rector of ICST.

U Kyaw Myint (Phy, DHE)

• He retired as DG of DHE.
• The photo was taken at a fundraiser for his Foundation.

by Hla Min

Updated : September 2026

Teaching and Learning

Teaching is only one aspect. A teacher learns by teaching and receiving feedback from the students. A teacher should be a life long learner.

Learning is another aspect. We should not encourage Rote Learning and mindless repetition. “Learning how to learn” and similar courses propose efficient and effective techniques.

Degree

Liberal education is usually offered at the Bachelor’s level.

A university degree was necessary for getting decent jobs. Now, there are some companies that do not mandate a university degree for selected jobs.

Disciplines

In the beginning, there were no computers and no Computer Science. Among the computer pioneers were engineers, mathematicians, physicists, psychologists, and linguists.

Edgser W. Dijkstra, who won the ACM Turing Award (equivalent of Nobel Prize in Computer Science), had to put “Theoretical Physicist” in his marriage license instead of “Programmer” or “Computer Scientist”.

The same is true for any emerging discipline.

Research and Development transcends multiple disciplines. It requires collaboration.

Main Facebook pages

• For relatives and close friends
• For not-so-close friends
• RIT Updates

Member of selected pages

• Old Burma
• RIT Updates
• Lifelong Learning
• Memories
• Myanmar

I used to be a member of the following:

• ကံ့ကော်မြေ (ရာပြည့်တက္ကသိုလ်)
• စကားပရိယာယ်
• စွယ်တော်ရိပ်ဖေါင်ဒေးရှင်း
• NorCal RITAA
• P.B.R.S Group
• RIT 69ers
• Team Old School IT
• YUBC Old Members
• Buddhism Q&A

Proper use of “Like” button

• Some users use the “Like” button indiscriminately.
• Puzzled to see Likes in an Obituary posting. Shouldn’t one be sad?
• Before clicking “Like”, check if the posting is current or old, and determine if the contents are really likeable.

Malware

• Malicious software industry is responsible for losses (in down time, data corruption, identity theft) in the billions.
• According to one report, the industry is more profitable and safer than the drug dealing.
• The penalty of offenders for malicious software is “peanuts” (e.g. little or no jail time) compared to drug dealers (e.g. life imprisonment and death penalty) in most countries.

Option

• One should be aware of “opt-in” versus “opt-out” options.
• Many do not read “fine print”.

Retire vs. Re-tire

• U Thaung Sein (Steeve Kay, EC70) is a Multiple Golden Sponsor of SPZPs.
• He told me, “You should not retire. You may re-tire (as in re-threading a tire). We will try to support you and your projects
• I am retired from working to make ends meet.

• I am re-tiring as long as my physical and mental health permit.
• Took a few on-line courses (for credit) Too taxing and slow; Opted to audit 100+ courses (covering many subjects)
• Listen to one Blinkist every day
• Listened to Merriam Webster’s Word of the day (WOTD) Podcast every day.
• Ride stationary bike for 30 minutes every day.
• Write or revise several posts every day.

Salutation

• Context and culture dependent.
• We call some old unrelated people as “Uncle” and “Auntie”.
• At St. Paul’s High School, we call our sayas without the formal U. e.g. Saya Sein
• I was reprimanded by a reader for writing Saya Aung Khin instead of Saya U Aung Khin or Sayagyi U Aung Khin.
• A visiting German wanted to be addressed as “Professor Doctor” (not just Professor or Doctor).
• Saya Allen Htay was told not use “Mr” in Netherlands. He was asked to use “Ingr” (for Engineer).
• Early surgeons in the UK were not necessarily doctors. So they did not force people to address them as Doctor
• People who have Honorary Doctorates usually put “Honoris Causa” (meaning the degree was awarded for esteem).

Speed and Scope of Writing

• A friend said, “You write too fast and too much. Slow down.”
• A few said, “We have read every post”.
• One said, “Cover topics of interest to the general reader, not just engineers and scientists”.

• One can please some readers all of the time, and all readers some of the time, but one cannot please every reader all of the time.
• I am just disseminating the teachings of Thin Sayas, Myin Sayas, Kyar Sayas

by Hla Min

Updated : September 2026

SF Bay Area Alumni Group

• Standing:
  Saya U Maung Maung (George, ChE66), U Hla Min (EC69), Saya U Thein Aung (James, Met72), Saya Dr. Nyo Win (K H Chen, M65), Saya U Myat Htoo (C68), Benny Tan (Tan Yu Beng, M70)
• Seated :
  U Kaung Kaung Oo (Gordon, M83), Saya Allen Htay (C58, GBNF), Saya Dr. Tin Aung (K C Chiu, ChE63), Maurice Chee (U Hla Myint Thein, M75)
• Photographer : U Khin Maung Zaw (KMZ, EC76)

Founding Members

• Met at Benny’s house several times
• Discussed the formation of “RIT Alumni International” to support the Newsletter and web site
• Decided to hold a Grand Reunion and SPZP in October 2000

• Served as members of the Working Committee and Steering Committee for SPZP-2000

Saya Allen Htay (GBNF)

• Leader of the group
• President of “RIT Alumni International”, which organized the First RIT Grand Reunion and Saya Pu Zaw Pwe in San Francisco, California, USA in October 2000.
• His classic article, “Brother, can you afford US $500?” was partly responsible for five Golden Sponsors, and the generous donations by sayas and alumni.
• Retired three times. His former students U Thein Aung & U Myat Htoo coaxed him to un-retire twice.

• Saya did not recover from a debilitating stroke. Did not live long enough to spend time with his grand children. One grandson had “Allen” as his first name. Another had “Allen” as his middle name.

Saya K C Chiu (Dr. Tin Aung)

• Brother of Saya Dr. Aung Soe (C61)
• Past President of BEA
• After retirement, he relocated to Southern California.
• He wrote : In early ‘80, Dr. Tin Win was working in Houston and came to the Bay Area on business trip. Dr. Tin Win was visiting me at home while Lily and I were discussing BEA matter. I believed they were meant for each other. The rest is history.

Saya Dr. Nyo Win (K H Chen)

• Past President of BAPS
• Core Organizer for SPZP-2000
• Founding member of NorCal RITAA and served as a member BOD (Board of Directors)
• Retired after working in high technology companies in the Silicon Valley & Taiwan

Saya U Maung Maung (George)

• Founding member of NorCal RITAA and served as the inaugural President.
• Organized a fund raiser for the “Staff Training” component of “YTU Library Modernization”.

Saya U Myat Htoo (C68)

• Past President of Theravada Buddhist Society of America (TBSA)
• Past President of Burmese American Democratic Alliance (BADA)
• Founding member of NorCal RITAA; Served three terms as Chair, BOD of NorCal RITAA
• Co-emcee of SPZP-2000
• Plays the ukelele and piano. A favorite song is theparody of “Lost Neikban”.

U Hla Min (Life Long Learner)

• Completed 26 years as Founder and Chief Editor of “RIT Alumni International Newsletter”
• Editor and Content Provider of RIT Alumni websites
• Chose to re-tire (re-thread) rather than retire (per Steeve’s suggestion)
• Decided to pay back to his alma mater(s): RIT and UCC (per advice of spouse, sayas, colleagues & friends)
• Wrote 40+ postings of “Memories of UCC” in three days during his vacation to Myanmar.
• Owner, Admin and Moderator of hlamin.com web site & several Facebook groups.

• Broadcast 220+ Educational Videos on selected topics. Channel for YouTube is @hmin3664

Benny Tan (Tan Eu Beng)

• Succeeded Dr. Nyo Win as President of BAPS.
• Successful entrepreneur.
• Multiple Golden Sponsor of SPZPs.
• Designed the banner and mementos for SPZP-2000.
• Now spending quality time with six grand children and taking trips & cruises around the world.

Saya U Thein Aung (James)

• Mr. RIT in 1968. His mentor was Commander Maung Maung (Mr. Burma in 1947). A few years back, he handed over the “Sa-Lwe” for Mr. RIT68) to U Wynn Htain Oo (M72).
• Co-emcee of SPZP-2000
• Contributing Editor for BAPS Newsletter
• Associate Editor of the Commemorative Issue of RIT Alumni Newsletter

Maurice Chee (Hla Myint Thein)

• Succeeded Benny as President of BAPS.
• Wore multiple hats for SPZP-2000. Co-Chair of the Working Committee with Benny; Financial Controller; Published the commemorative issue of “RIT Alumni Newsletter”; Did name tags; Coordinated the culinary experts for the follow-up lunch gathering.
• Founding member & Past Vice President of NorCal RITAA.
• In August 2016, he organized the Soon Kway gathering at Dhammananda Vihara, Half Moon Bay for my birthday and to recognize my volunteer work.

U Khin Maung Zaw (KMZ)

• Belongs to three circles — St. Paul’s High School, RIT and and UCC — like Saya U Soe Paing and me.
• Took the group photo
• Designed and implemented http://www.ex-rit.org website, which contributed to the planning & implementation of SPZP-2000. Many contributed to “Count down to the Reunion” and “Post Reunion” pages. I wrote 64 posts for “Count down to the Reunion” and 36 posts for “Post Reunion”.
• Was then an eligible bachelor; Worked four 10-hour days & had a three day weekend
• His RIT web site was largely responsible for the success of SPZP-2000. Promised to have Version 2.0 of the web (with better features). Could not fulfill his promise.
• Luckily for him, he moved to the challenging and lucrative job at Microsoft, and also became blessed with a wonderful family.

U Kaung Kaung Oo (Gordon Kaung)

• Youngest member of the group
• Founded “Mechanical Solutions” in San Francisco
• He and his spouse Lillian Kaung (EC83) later set up iNapa Winery & hosted RIT-related gatherings. The Winery survived two fires.
• Founding member of NorCal RITAA; Succeeded U Maung Maung as President

• Donated Premium Wine bottles for selected events (e.g. the Annul Dinner and Summer Picnic for NorCal RITAA, 2005 RIT Alumni Reunion in Los Angeles).

by Hla Min

Updated : September 2026

April 2002

Saya U Moe Aung wrote :

The first ever gathering of RIT Alumni in Singapore took place at NTU Lecture Theatre, Singapore, on 13 April 2001 (Thingyan Eve).

A pamphlet was distributed to all who attended the ceremony full of songs and dances to mark the Burmese new year.

This gathering was also done with the intention to hold a RIT SPZP in Singapore in 2002.

SPZPs in Singapore

Singapore alumni hosted

• SPZP-2002 in December 2002
• SPZP-2007 in April 2007
• SPZP-2010 in December 2010

Monthly Gathering of Seniors

U Thein Lwin (EE, GBNF) is an alumnus of Lehigh University, USA. He taught at RIT and Singapore Polytechnic. He is the elder brother of U Myo Myint (ChE from USA), U Kyi Lwin (George, C67), U Tint Lwin (Daniel, M69) and U Thet Lwin (Henry, EE72).

Daw May Than Nwe (GBNF) stood first in Physics Honors in 1962 and joined the faculty as Assistant Lecturer.

Saya & Sayams passed away within a span of a few months.

U Tu Myint (M) studied Bachelor & Masters in the UK. He supervised the M73 students for the Hovercraft Project. He taught at RIT and Singapore Polytechnic.

U Kyaw Sein (M65, GBNF) was a moderator of Engineering Groups in Facebook.

U Tint Lwin (Daniel, M69) is Retired Associate Professor of NTU. He helped the alumni to have meetings at NTU.

U Myint Thin (M71, GBNF) is RIT Luyechun. He represented RIT in Rowing. He sponsored Sayagyi U Ba Than to attend SPZP-2007 in Singapore.

U Nyan Win Shwe (M72) is a Past President of the Burma Club. He chaired SPZP-2007.

U Tin Aung Win (M73) attends gatherings in Singapore. He joined U Tint Lwin to meet Saya U Ba Than (when he was visiting Singapore for medical check up).

Gatherings

by Hla Min

Updated : September 2026

Highlights

U Myo Myint

• Class of M73
• Retired Deputy Chief Engineer of Railways
• Pon Tu
• Oil Painting
• Water Color Painting
• Cartoon
• Cover Design

Paintings

• He had an Exhibition at SPZP-2016 and donated to SDYF and YTU Library Project.

Cartoons

• He drew Cartoons.

Design

• He designed Covers for RIT Annual Magazines and Swel Daw Yeik Magazines.

Pon Tu’s

• He drew Pon Tu’s of many sayas and sayamas.
• He could not find photos of some sayas.
• He had to stop when his painting materials ran out.

• Most Pon Tus were handed over at RIT gatherings (e.g SPZPs).
• On behalf of Bagyee Myat Myo Myint, Saya U Nyunt Htay (Met73) handed over the Pon Tu of Saya Dr. Khin Maung Win (Met) to Daw Khin Than Nwe (T62, Saya’s spouse).

• He also handed over the Pon Tu of Saya Dr. Aung Gyi to Saya at iNapa Winery gathering in 2015.

• Saya U Kyaw Sein (M65, GBNF) archived Pon Tu’s. Saya U Tin Lin (ChE72) annotated the Pon Tu’s. He also grouped photos and posted them.
  

• Saya U Aung Myaing (ChE72) and team created a Musical Video using the Pon Tu’s and photos to pay homage to the Sayas.

• Saya U Aung Myaing (ChE72) and Daw Gyn Yu (ChE72) provided some materials needed for the paintings. They also helped U Myo Myint during his medical check up in Bangkok.
  

• He drew Pon Tu of his spouse as a Birthday present. He also drew Pon Tu of his three Myees.
  

• He drew Pon Tu of some alumni (U Wynn Htain Oo, Daw Lei Lei Myaing and me).
  

• He was a Volunteer for Mg Mar Ga’s “Eradication of Starvation” project (before the Calamities).

• Per Daw Lei Lei Myaing’s request, he donated to specified pagodas and monasteries.

Posts

• O Bei Myat Saya — Musical Video
• Poetic Art Series
• Pon Tu

by Hla Min

Updated : September 2026

Sayagyi U Ba Hli (GBNF)

He 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.

He earlier served as Principal of the Government Technical Institute (GTI) and Professor of Civil Engineering.

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).

Saya Dr. F Ba Hli (GBNF)

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 Daw Myint Thwe 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 (Tin Tin Hlaing) and two sons (Tha Hlaing and Min Thet Htoo).

Grand children of U Ba Hli

Ma Tin Tin Hlaing (UCC) is the spouse of Ko Htay Aung (Victor, EC80, UCC, nephew of Saya U Sein Hlaing (EE)).

Ko 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 did not smoke or drink, but succumbed to lung cancer. He lamented why some people who drink and smoke lived long.

by Kyaw Sein

Updated : June 2025

Saya U Kyaw Sein (M65)

The first Hovercraft was fabricated and submitted as a thesis by 1973 Mechanical students as a partial fulfillment for the Bachelor Of Engineering degree. Their supervisor was Saya U Tu Myint.

Updates

Singapore Oldies

• Saya U Kyaw Sein, Saya U Thein Lwin, Sayama Daw May Than Nwe and U Myint Thin (M71) are GBNF.
• U Tu Myint retired from Singapore Polytechnic.
• John Rao invited me to meet Saya U Tu Myint, U Hla Win & some M73 at a lunch gathering.

Hovercraft Follow up

• The next batches submitted thesis on improvement of the first one.
• VIP test drive was performed for the Minister for Industry at that time, Col. Maung Cho. The test drive was performed on the lake beside Insein Locomotive Maintenance and Repair Shop. The invention was a success.
• U Kyi Aung (Roland Chen, ChE73) had the honor to drive the first ‘Hovercraft’ invented by M73 students. Ironically, further improvement projects were stopped for no reasons.

Additional information

• Article by Dr. Myint Thein (M73)
• Interview of the Hovercraft team (arranged by Saya U Moe Aung)