a lake : Inya Lake Home of Rangoon University Boat Club (RUBC) and Rangoon Sailing Club (RSC) Cross Lake swimming event was held as part of the Inter-Institute Swimming Contest
a road : Inya Road It has an entrance to the Main Campus of Rangoon University
a residence hall : Inya Hall / Inya Saung It was for female students of Rangoon University Some writers (e,g, Moe Moe) use as a suffix for their pen name.
Inya Saung / Inya Hall
Daw Su Su was the first occupant of Room No. (1) at Inya Hall.
She danced three roles in the fund raiser for the Tekkatho Dhammayone. The director of the play was her cousin brother Saya U Lu Pe Win (Pali and Kyauksar Scholar). The rehearsal was assisted by U Nyi Bu (First male actor in a Burmese movie, Brother of A1 U Tin Nwe, U Maung Maung Soe and A1 U Tin Maung).
Daw Su Su was honored at the Thet Kyee Pu Zaw Pwe (Paying homage to the elders) held at the Tekkatho Dhammayone. Her account was published in the Golden Jubilee Sar Saung of Inya Hall.
She has three daughters :
Daw Hazel Saw Lwin mother of Dr. Tin Tun
Dr. Olive Saw Lwin
Daw May Saw Lwin mother of U Aung Mon and Dr. Nyi Thet Lwin
She wanted them to have experience (like her) at the Inya Hall. Per their mother’s request Daw Hazel Saw Lwin and Daw May Saw Lwin spent a year at Inya Hall as room mates.
Even in his 80s, Saya has an active mind. He was still supervising Burmese students in Australia with their research and theses.
He studied at Mandalay University. His contemporaries include Saya Dr. Maung Di and Tekkatho Phone Naing (U Khin Maung Tint, who supposedly based his characters on his friends).
He did his studies in the UK. When he attended Imperial College, London University, Saya U Ba Than (Retired Professor of Mechanical Engineering, RIT) was his room mate.
He later received his Masters from Glasgow University and Doctorate from University of Liverpool.
He was Lecturer and Head of Mathematics Department at the Institute of Economics when he proposed to the Ministry of Education to acquire a computer for research and teaching. Dr. Nyi Nyi requested Saya to extend the scope of his proposal to cover selected universities and institutes. The UCC project was born.
It would take several years before UNDP would approve to fund the UCC project. UNESCO would act as the Executing Agency.
When Saya U Ba Toke was promoted to Rector of MASU (Mandalay Arts and Science University), Saya Chit became Professor and Head of Mathematics Department at RASU (Rangoon Arts and Science University).
He recruited volunteers to help plan for the implementation of UCC. He received permission to use Mandalay Hall as the temporary home for UCC.
Saya Chit organized computer courses. U Soe Paing, U Myo Min, U Ko Ko Lay, U Shwe Hlaing, Dr Kyaw Nyunt several others helped run the courses. They taught Computer Systems, Programming Languages, Systems Analysis & Design, Numerical Methods …
UCC moved over to Thamaing College Campus as a neighbor to RC2 (Regional College Two). Saya Chit became the Founder and Director. U Soe Paing, U Myo Min and Ko Ko Lay became Managers in charge of Systems Division, Applications Division, and Operations Division.
Saya’s Vision
He was a Computing Pioneer in Burma. He is an advocate of
Lifelong Learning
Technology Transfer
Leapfrogging Technology
Personnel Development
Knowledge Sharing
TOSS (Team of System Specialists).
He included a Component in the UCC Project Plan to invite elite Computer Scientists and Practitioners.
UCC was privileged to have the expertise of two Past Presidents of the prestigious ACM (Association Of Computing Machinery): Professor Harry D Huskey (UCSC) and Professor Anthony Ralston (SUNY Buffalo),
Professor Michael Stonebraker (UC Berkeley) gave lectures on Ingres (an early Relational Database System). In the past few years, he won the ACM Turing Award Winner (considered as the Nobel Prize for Computing) :
The computer experts helped UCC to establish courses in Computer Science and Applications.
Saya’s Modesty
Saya is modest. During a trip to Chauk Htat Yone (Six Storey Office), a staff member would “ignore” Saya Chit and pay respect to U Myint Oo (his student and volunteer assistant), who was well dressed and was carrying a suitcase.
Saya’s Projects
Saya thought that I had served as an Editor for a newspaper. So, he assigned me as a writer / editor for several of his numerous projects: High School Mathematics Curriculum Development, CTK (Children’s Treasury of Knowledge), Planning for computerization of Government Departments, and TOSS (Team of System Specialists).
I had written articles, poems and translations for Guardian and Working People’s Daily (WPD) newspapers and Forward Magazine. Maung Thaw Ka (Bohmu Ba Thaw, Chief Editor of Forward Magazine, GBNF) suggested that I should join his staff (upon learning that I was an RIT alumni volunteering for the UCC Project). In my 3rd BE, editors from NAB (News Agency Burma) headed by Tet Toe (U Ohn Pe, Chief Editor) invited me to join their staff. My parents supported my hobbies, but they wanted to make sure that I have a good education and a decent job.
Life After UCC
After UCC, Saya served as Rector of RASU, but his passion for his Dream Child and his care for his former students never diminished.
After retirement, Saya taught at ABAC / Assumption University in Thailand. He also worked for UNHCR.
He relocated to Sydney, Australia. Several Burmese there completed their doctorates under his supervision.
Saya visited Singapore and Myanmar and shared his wisdom, knowledge and experience.
Reunion With Saya In Australia
In June 2006, I visited Sydney, Australia to attend several gatherings:
RIT alumni gathering headed by Saya U Hla Myint (M65) and Saya U Myo Win (M/Ag65, GBNF)
UCC alumni gathering at SayaU Aung Zaw’s house where we paid homage to Saya Chit and Saya Dr. Freddie Ba Hli (National Planning Adviser & Board Member of UCC)
(Old Paulians gathering at Olympic Park organized by Dr. Thann Naing (SPHS, Geology)
Saya asked me to give a lecture or seminar to interested young people in Sydney. He then presented me with his hat. I hope that Saya’s hat can help transfer his brilliant thinking into my head.
Last Journey
In November 2019, Saya passed away in Sydney, Australia. He was 88.
In memory of Saya, soon kwyay was offered in Sydney, Australia and Pyinmana, Myanmar.
Hundreds expressed their sadness for the loss of Sayagyi in the newspapers and in the Facebook pages. The following is a sampling.
UCSY Facebook page remembers Saya as the pioneer Saya for Computer Education in Burma / Myanmar.
Saya Dr. Khin Maung Win wrote about Sayagyi in moemaka
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. He wrote about Sayagyi in his Facebook page
Ideas from Tekkatho Moe War, Maung Sein Win (Padeegone), U Nyunt Htay
You were the victim of a superstitious power monger willing to crush “Pretenders to the Throne” animate and inanimate.
Without a just and fair trial,| you were condemned to death.
When one Swel Daw Bin was axed Two magically reappeared
When two Swel Daw Bins were hacked Four appeared to baffle the tormentors
With each atrocious act Swel Daw Bins rebounded and redoubled
The ADHAMMA authorities persisted and ruthlessly rooted all Swel Daw Bins from the Land of the Bearers/Defenders of Dhamma
Why? Why? Why?
Swel Daws do not have destructive power or desire to exploit They do not have Lobha (Greed), Dosa (Anger), and Moha (Delusion) They simply display pristine, beauty and elegance
They embody the principles of trust, integrity, and unity of mentors and mentees students, teachers, and Loke Tha’s
They provide shade, calm and tranquillity to those seeking rest & peace of mind
With the dawning of the Pwint Linn Era Fifty majestic Swel Daw Bins bloom gallantly along side the famed Shwe YaDu Lann with pleasing Shwe YaDu Benches
There have been tears of sorrow when Swel Daws were banished from the Land
Now there are tears of joy with many artifacts bearing your name
To help speed up the computerization in Burma, Saya Chit (Dr. Chit Swe) mandated the “training & knowledge transfer” component in the UCC project.
The component was awarded to Professor Harry D. Huskey (Past ACM President), who taught at University of California Berkeley (UCB) and University of California Santa Cruz (UCSC). Dr, Huskey is a computer pioneer, ACM (Association of Computing Machinery) Fellow, and CHM (Computer History Museum) Fellow.
Dr. Huskey persuaded several top Computer Scientists and Educators to transfer their knowledge and expertise.
The following is a partial list of the experts provided by Dr. Huskey.
Professor Anthony Ralston (SUNY Buffalo & Past President of ACM)
Professor Peter Wegner (Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island)
Professor Michael Stonebraker (UC Berkely)
Dr. Malcolm P. Atkinson (Cambridge University Mathematics & Computer Lab)
Professor Foreman Acton
At UCB, Michael Stonebraker, Eugene Wong and Gerald Held designed and implemented INGRES (Relational Database Management System). They went on to found INGRES and several other DB companies. He also is an adjunct Professor at MIT. A few years back, Stonebraker won the prestigious ACM Turing Award (“Nobel Prize” for Computer Professionals).
Dr. Htay Lwin Nyo (GBNF), Sai Aung Thurein (GBNF), Ko Kyaw Zwar Than, Ko Sein Myint, … implemented projects (based on INGRES and other Databases) on ICL under the supervision of Saya Paing and several other sayas.
U Khin Maung Zaw (KMZ) wrote :
In my line of work, prior to my retirement, Knowledge Transfer is one of the several criteria for the success of the Organization/Company. The others are “Documentation” and some mechanism to transfer/document “Tribal Knowledge”.
It was a major challenge for all of us, it was, and still is, a thankless catch up process in the very fast changing Internet. When someone from the management and/or product wanted some new features, the timeline always was ‘yesterday’. They almost always wanted it done ‘yesterday’ as we jokingly called it.
There are innumerable projects/processes we spent so much time could get shelved due to whatever reasons. Documentation and Knowledge Transfer became after thought. And when the key people moved on to other projects it became a nightmare for people who took over.
KMZ added :
There was a story told by Dr. Stonebraker where he learnt of the amazement on our faces when we saw his gigantic shoe. It was about the tough drill sergeant Stone and a small recruit called Stonebraker at the boot-camp. Since I was not a good story teller, I googled/binged Internet but none came up yet.
I believe Rafiul went to work for Stonebraker at Ingres when he moved to California. Htay Lwin Nyo told me about it when I met him. Ingres was eventually sold to CA, Computer Associates.
Editor’s Note :
One of my assignments at TDI (Technology Deployment International) was to work with developers from Fujitsu and some subsidiaries, Computer Associates and some subsidiaries (including Ingres).
Exercise, Music and Games help one to age gracefully.
Life begins at forty.
Ronald Reagan jokingly said: “I am celebrating my 35th birthday after my 40th”.
Thoughts
I felt uncomfortable to be called “Ah Ba”, “Pho Pho” … and to be offered assistance (e.g. wheelchair).
Now I feel OK to take wheelchair at airports and to have assistance when I climb up and down hill slopes. I had a couple of bike rides on the dirt roads in Upper Myanmar.
As a senior, I enjoy discounts on trains, buses.
I simply hope that my mental faculties will be strong.
Sayagyi U Ba Toke
Sayagyi is a Phwa Bet Taw of Rangoon University. He celebrated his 99th birthday in December 2019 with his children, grand children and great grand children.
During my visits to Yangon, I paid homage to Sayagyi. In the early visits, Sayagyi recounted his experiences. He was a football star, a leader of the Burma Olympic Delegation, Commandant of the Luyechun Camp, an outstanding teacher and an excellent speaker. Until his mid 80s, he used to walk to Shwe Dagon Pagado with his younger dhamma friends. Then, Sayagyi gradually lost his mobility, his sight and his teeth. He had to skip some minor PZPs, but still attended SPZPs with a wheel chair.
Ma Theingi, Sayagyi’s youngest daughter, mentioned that Sayagyi is healthy but because he had lost most teeth, they have to listen carefully to grasp his message. Jara (old age) catches even the sport stars.
Sadly, he passed away on December 2, 2020 — a few days shy of his Centennial.
Saya served as Professor of English at Rangoon University and at the Institute of Education.
Pen name : Nwe Soe
Supporter of the “Khit San Sar Pay” co-founded by Theikpan Maung Wa, Zawgyi and Minthuwun.
Authored the “Archway Reader” series
Children : Patricia, Pamela, Uno, Beauty
Early English Sayas at RU
Dr. Ba Maw
[Mr.] Kan Gyi
[Ms.] E. Kan Gyi
Daw Thein Nyunt
Maggie Chin Cheng
Daw Tin Saw Mu
Daw Tinsa Maw-Naing
Daw Khin Kyi Kyi
U Ohn Khin
Daw Hla May
Early Honors Students
U Win Pe (“Mya Zin”)
Sao Hso Holm (“Sawbwalay”)
Majorie Law Yone
U Thaw Kaung are some of the early First Class Honors in English.
Language of Instruction in Burma
E. H. S. (English High School), taught subjects in English.
Vernacular schools taught subjects in Burmese.
Anglo-Venacular schools taught subjects in English and Burmese.
After Independence, some schools teach English from KG while others teach English from the 5th standard.
High Expectation
The expectations of some examiners of English in the Matriculation examination in the 50’s might have been unreasonably high. It came as a surprise when top students from SPHS (St. Paul’s High School) failed in English in the Matriculation of 1955. There was no moderation. The Brothers had to coax them to redo the Matriculation. Most later completed Masters from prestigious US universities. There was another surprise in 1959. One student gained three distinctions but failed in English. Instead of taking only English the following year, he repeated all the subjects and again gained three distinctions. He became a doctor and an outstanding professor.
1963 – 1965
The situation improved over the years.
In 1963, Dr. Khin Maung U (SPHS), Dr. Min Oo (Maths, SPHS), Dr. Myo San (Freddie, SPHS, GBNF), and Kenny Wong (M69, MEHS) gained four distinctions (including English). They placed 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 6th in Burma. In those days, only a few gained distinction in Burmese.
In 1964, Dr. Lyn Aung Thet (MEHS) gained four distinctions (including English) and tied for raw total score with Dr. Cherry Hlaing (SJC) for first place. Due to a perfect ILA, Dr. Cherry Hlaing was admitted as Roll No. (1) to Institute of Medicine (1).
In 1965, Bernard Khaw (SPHS) placed first in Burma. He scored very high marks (80+) in English. Due to the 3 NRC rule, he could not apply for professional institutes. He took Chemistry at RASU before moving to USA to study Chemical Engineering. After retirement, he became a Pastor.
My English Teachers at SPHS
Brother Austin (Std X A) mainly used the Carrot
Brother Xavier (Std IX A and Std VIII A) mainly used the Stick
Ms Amelia Kyi / Miss Hong Kong (Std VII D and Std VI D) used the Carrot and the Stick
Mrs. V Boudville (Class teacher for Std. V D)
Ms. A Benjamin (Class teacher for Std. IV D)
Relieving Sayas include Mr. Lewis, Mr. Chapman and Mr. Tims
My English Teachers at Rangoon University
Daw Tinsar Maw-Naing — I.Sc. (A)
Daw Khin Kyi Kyi — I.Sc. (A)
Sayama Toni
My English Teachers at RIT
Des Rodgers was the “main” English saya in 2nd B.E. Saya prides himself as a Scrabble Champion, a “Local Talent” star at BBS, an expert on ESL (English as a Specialty Language), and author of two (or more) books. Saya studied in UK and taught in Canada and on-line (for some time).
Sao Kan Gyi (GBNF) wrote with the pen name “Khemarat”.
U Khin (Lucien, now in Taiwan) had dictionaries (Chambers, Jones pronouncing, …) for use in officiating Scrabble games. He also won Scrabble trophies.
U Win Mra was Burma Pole Vault Champion. He won the “Elvis Presley” contest. He joined the Foreign Service and retired as Myanmar Ambassador to the United Nations. He was Chair of the Myanmar Human Rights Commission.
Joe Ba Maung (GBNF) was Burma Tennis Champion in Men’s Singles, Men’s Doubles and Mixed Doubles. He transferred to Burma Railways. He managed the Sports program of Burma Railways. He was a victim of 8-8–88.
U Kyaw Lwin Hla transferred to UNDP.
Daw Yin Yin Mya (Terry) was Head of the Department. She moved to Australia.
Daw Sheila Saing was the Deputy Head. She moved to Thailand.
Daw Khin Saw Tint (Ann) is a bilingual author. wrote several books in Burmese. Her mother, aunts, uncles and brother are scholars and prominent figures in civil administration.
Naw Charity Sein U retired as Professor and Head of RIT English.
Daw Muriel — spouse: U Aung (Alphonso)
Daw Toni joined her spouse (who retired as Ambassador) overseas.
HlaMin 