HlaMin

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  • SEAP Games

    First SEAP Games

    • The First SEAP (South East Asia Peninsular) Games was held in Bangkok in 1959.
    • Tun Mra, Kyaw Mra, Soe Mra and Tun Naung competed in Track and Field.
    • Tun Aung and Victor Pe-Win competed in Tennis.
    • Tin Maung Ni competed in Swimming

    Second SEAP Games

    • The Second SEAP Games was held in Rangoon in December 1961.
    • Aung San Stadium was the main venue for Track & Field and Soccer.
      The indoor stadium hosted Basketball, Volleyball, …
    • Swimming, Diving and Water Polo contests were held at the Amyotha Yay Koo Kan (National Swimming Pool) on U Wisara Road.
    This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is university-athletes.jpg
    University Athletes for 2nd SEAP Games 
    Photo : Richard Yu Khin
    • Dean U Yu Khin was Chairman of the Sports Promotion Committee.
    • U Tin Maung Swe was Secretary of the Sports Promotion Committee.
    • Dr. Ko Ko Lay was Chairman of the University Sports Council.

    The University Students represented Burma in the Games include

    • Tun Mra, Kyaw Mra, Soe Mra and Tun Naung (Athletics)
    • Derek Lynsdale and Aye Kyaw (Swimming)
    • Richard Yu Khin (Yachting)
    • Joe Ba Maung, Than Lwin and Mu Mu Khin (Tennis)
    • Mao Toon Siong and C. Say Eng (Table Tennis)
    • Maung Hla and Thida (Badminton)
    • Myo Nyunt (Weightlifting)
    • Kyaw Han (Volleyball)
    • Nyan Min (Basketball)

    Athletics

    • In Track and Field, Burma placed first in the medal standings.
    • Tun Mra won a Gold in the 4×100 m relay with Soe Aung (Burma Champion) as anchor.
    • Kyaw Mra won Silver in the Hurdles.
      He would later serve as National Coach.
    • Soe Mra won the Pole Vault.
    • Tun Mra, Kyaw Mra and Soe Mra are the sons of U Shwe Mra.
    • The ladies won several Gold Medals.
      e.g. Gracie Carr won the 100m and the Long Jump.

    Swimming

    • In Swimming, Burma placed first in the medal standings.
    • Tin Maung Ni won 200m, 400m, 800m, 1500m, 4x100m freestyle relay, and 4×100 medley relay.
    • His team mates won the other events.
    • Aye Kyaw (cousin of Dr. Hla Yee Yee) and Derek Lynsdale are RU athletes.
      Aye Kyaw later joined the Navy.

    Yachting

    • Richard Yu Khin won Gold in Yachting with U Maung Maung Lwin (Commodore of Rangoon Sailing Club).

    Tennis

    • Joe Ba Maung was the National Singles Champion in Tennis.
      He and Than Lwin were the National Doubles Champion.
      He and Sayama Daw Ruby Kha won the National Mixed Doubles.
    • Than Lwin would succeed Joe Ba Maung as the Singles Champion.
    • Mu Mu Khin (Daphne Tha Dok) was the Ladies Champion.
    • Than Lwin and Mu Mu Khin later married.

    Table Tennis

    • Mao Toon Siong was Burma Champion for Singles and Doubles in Table Tennis.
      He later served as National Coach.
    Mao Toon Siong

    Volleyball

    • The Burma team won the Gold Medal.
    • Kyaw Han is an athlete from Rangoon University.

  • 69er Sports Stars

    Athletics

    • Ko Aung Gyi Shwe
    • Ko Myo Nyunt
    • Ma Khin Than Myint Tin (Margaret)

    Badminton

    • Sai Kham Pan (Burma selected)
    • Ko Myint Sein
    • Bishnu Shahi

    Basketball

    • Ko Soe Win
    • Ko Han Sein
    • Ko Tommy
    • Ma Lyo Kyin Sein

    Chess

    • Ko Aung Than

    Chinlon

    • Ko Tin Shein
    • Ko Htin Aung

    Rowing

    • Ko Hla Min
    • Ko Chit Po Po
    • Ko Sein Myint
    • Ko Win Naing (Dicky)
    • Ko Win Maung

    Soccer

    • Ko Kyaw Sint
    • Ko Myo Nyunt

    Swimming and Water Polo

    • Ko Htay Aung (Burma selected)
    • Ko Sein Myint
    • Ko Han Sein
    • Ko Moe Hein
    • Ko Hla Kyaing
    • Ko Win Maung

    Table Tennis

    • Ko Tin Myint

    Tennis

    • Ko Kyaw Sint
    • Ko Kyaw Nyunt

    Volleyball

    • Saw Edison
    • Sa Maung Maung
    • Ko Myint Maung (Bu)
    • Ko Aye Thein

    Weightlifting and Body Building

    • Ko Jimmy Kyin
    • Ko Khin Win
    • Ko Myint Soe

  • Swimming and Diving

    Male Swimmers

    • Tin Maung Ni
    • Mya Thee
    • Maung Kyi
    • Aung Than
    • Nyunt Soe
    • Chit Soe
    • Oscar Thwin
    • Derek Lynsdale
    • Aye Kyaw
    • Willie Huie
    • Richard Yu Khin
    • Htay Aung
    • Nanda Kyaw Zwar

    Female Swimmers

    • Sally Soe
    • Mary Soe
    • Elizabeth Smythe
    • Marlar Swe
    • Polly Ba San (Polly Win)
    • Sylvia Thwin

    Divers

    • Thet Win
    • Philip Smythe
    • William Smythe

    Dr. Richard Yu Khin wrote :

    Swimmers trained by Mr. Matsuda in 1959 include Derek Lynsdale (backstroke), Aye Kyaw (Hla Yee Yee’s cousin) and Willie Huie (breast-stroke). A few years ago saw photo of Thet Win at Kokine Swimming Club, and Aung Than who is working as swim coach in Bangkok. Derek Lynsdale’s mother was a Lecturer at Rangoon University who moved to a university in East Africa subsequent to military coup in 1962. Aye Kyaw was Tin Maung Ni’s deputy in the Burma Navy.

  • Thaing

    Thaing is a generic name for Burmese/Myanmar Martial Arts.

    Thaing comprises of
    (a) Bando (unarmed combat Thaing)
    and
    (b) Banshay (armed combat Thaing).

    There are various schools of Thaing.

    One famous school was started by U Pyi Thein.
    He was familiar with other martial arts.
    He translated/adapted a book on selected martial arts around the world.
    An unconventional one is called “Naga Ngway Thaing” where the practitioner “emits” a “horrible” smell that can knock out people.

    U Chit Than succeeded U Pyi Thein as head of their Thaing movement.

    Some Thaing sayas are experts in other disciplines.

    U Po Kyaw Myint was a University Lecturer in Burmese.
    His pen name is Myan Sar Gon Kyaw Myint.

    U Mya Thein is a lawyer.
    He also starred in the movie “Thadin Kyut Tat Myee” along side Jolly Swe.

    U San Maung taught Academy Nyunt Win for “Bando Lugalay Hnit Thuzar”.
    He also performed stunt in several movies.

    Ko Min Din was a high school Luyechun.
    He along with Ko Aung Thein and Ko Myint Thein performed Thaing demos at YTU and other schools.

    Saya U Tin Maung Nyunt (M60) served as President of the RIT Thaing Association.
    Dr. Tun Aung Gyaw (EC69) served as Joint Secretary.

    There is also a school called “Thaing Byaung Byan” (literally meaning “Reverse Thaing”).

    Dr. Khin Maung U (SPHS63) wrote :

    Had a chance to treat “Thaing Byaung Byan” U Maung Lay in Wards 19&20, Yangon Hospital, in the 1970s. Can’t recall his illness. His school of martial arts handle and weapons (e.g., sticks, spears, etc.) in an eccentric manner (i.e., not in a balanced manner, holding one side longer than the other), and by so doing, confuses the usual martial arts fighters.

  • Ma Khin Myat (Susan)

    Early Female Rower

    • Ma Khin Myat (Susan) was from the first batch of female students who joined the Rangoon University Boat Club (RUBC).
    • Represented the Institute of Economics and RUBC.

    Micro-meeting

    • Met her at Dhammanda Vihara, Half Moon Bay, California.
    • Told Uzin Kondannadhaja (U Chan Min, de facto leader of the Eco Rowing teams, resident monk since his retirement) that she had to take care full time for her ailing husband.

    Trip to Myanmar

    • One day, she requested time off from her husband to visit Myanmar and to do meritorious deeds.
    • Sad to say, she passed away in Myanmar

    Samvega

    • People, who take care of their ailing loved ones, can be stressed out physically and mentally.
    • Healthy people can pass away unexpectedly.

  • Second SEAP Games

    RU Athletes who represented Burma at the Second SEAP Games

    Photo provided by Dr. Richard Yu Khin

    • The 2nd SEAP (South East Asia Peninsular) Games was held in Rangoon in December 1961.
    • Aung San Stadium was the main venue for Track & Field and Soccer.
    • Swimming, Diving and Water Polo contests were held at the Amyotha Yay Koo Kan (National Swimming Pool) on U Wisara Road.
    • Dean U Yu Khin
      Chairman of the Sports Promotion Committee.
    • U Tin Maung Swe
      Former Burma Selection for Volleyball
      Secretary of the Sports Promotion Committee.
    • Dr. Ko Ko Lay
      Chairman of the University Sports Council.

    Rangoon University Athletes, who represented Burma in the SEAP Games, include :

    • Tun Mra, Kyaw Mra, Soe Mra and Tun Naung (Athletics)
    • Maung Hla and Thida (Badminton)
    • Nyan Min (Basketball)
    • Derek Lynsdale and Aye Kyaw (Swimming)
    • Mao Toon Siong and C. Say Eng (Table Tennis)
    • Joe Ba Maung, Than Lwin and Mu Mu Khin (Tennis)
    • Kyaw Han (Volleyball)
    • Myo Nyunt (Weightlifting)
    • Richard Yu Khin (Yachting)

    Athletics

    Burma Track & Field Selected for Second SEAP Games

    Photo : provided by U Tun Mra

    • In Track and Field, Burma placed first in the medal standings.
    • Tun Mra and Tun Naung won Gold in the 4×100 m relay with Soe Win (Burma Champion) as anchor.
      They also competed in the First SEAP Games in Bangkok in 1959.
    • Tun Mra was interviewed for the Documentary for RU Diamond Jubilee Celebrations.
      Captain of RU Track and Field.
      Eldest son of U Shwe Mra.
      He and five younger brothers are Burma Selected.
    • Kyaw Mra (GBNF) won Silver in the Hurdles.
      Later joined SPED and served as National Coach.
      Second son of U Shwe Mra.
    • Soe Mra won the Pole Vault.
      Also won in a subsequent SEAP Games.
      Third son of U Shwe Mra.

    Badminton

    • Maung Hla represented Burma since his Moulmein College days
    • Thida was absent at the Photo Shoot

    Basketball

    • Nyan Min was absent at the Photo Shoot

    Swimming

    • In Swimming, Burma placed first in the medal standings.
    • Tin Maung Ni (former RU Champion, Navy) won 200m, 400m, 800m, 1500m, 4x100m freestyle relay, and 4×100 medley relay. His team mates won the other events.
    • Aye Kyaw (cousin of Dr. Hla Yee Yee) and Derek Lynsdale represented Burma in swimming.
      Aye Kyaw joined Burma Navy.
      Derek’s mother is a Professor.

    Table Tennis

    • Mao Toon Siong
      National Champion for Singles and Doubles in Table Tennis.
      Competed in SEAP, Asian Games and World Championship
      Joined Mechanical Engineering Department, RIT
      Managed and coached the RIT team which won the Inter-Institute Trophy.
      Later served as National Coach.
    • C Say Eng was absent at the Photo Shoot

    Tennis

    • Joe Ba Maung
      National Singles Champion in Tennis.
      National Men’s Doubles Champion with Than Lwin.
      National Mixed Doubles Champion with Sayama Daw Ruby Kha.
      Taught English at RIT.
      Joined Burma Railways.
      Victim of 8-8-88
    • Than Lwin
      Succeeded Joe Ba Maung as the Singles Champion.
    • Mu Mu Khin (Daphne Tha Dok)
      National Ladies Champion
      Later married Than Lwin.

    Volleyball

    • Kyaw Han
      Won Gold with the Burma team
      Was absent at the Photo Shoot

    Weightlifting

    • Myo Nyunt
      Father : Founding member of Kaya Bala movement in Burma
      Was interviewed for the Documentary for RU Diamond Jubilee Celebrations.

    Yachting

    • Richard Yu Khin
      Won Gold in Yachting with U Maung Maung Lwin (former Weightlifting Champion, Commodore of Rangoon Sailing Club).

    Comments

    • U Tun Mra was interviewed by U Tin Nyo and team (BERB) for the RU Sports Documentary for the RU Diamond Jubilee.
      He was Captain of the RU Track and Field.
      He and his two younger brothers and Tun Naung competed in 1st SEAP and 2nd SEAP Games (and more).
    • Edward Maung wrote :
      I remember both SEAP Games in Rangoon.I was about an early teen or a tween during the 1961 SEAPGames in YGN. I remember some of the athletes in the above picture. The three Mra brothers (Tun Mra, Kyaw Mra and Soe Mra, Tun Naung (Noel Tin), Ko Than Lwin ( Tennis). I didn’t know them personally except for Ko Than Lwin. I had seen them in person on a few occasions in my teen years.

  • All Mechanical Gathering

    2016

    • In December 2016, the All Mechanical Gathering was held at Dolphin Club.
    • U Thant Zin (M) invited me to attend the Gathering.
    • U Hla Win and Daw Mar Mar Yee were em-cees.
    • Saya U Tin Htut (M60) and his classmates were among the Seniors.

    2017

    In December 2017, the All Mechanical Gathering was held at Dolphin Club.

    Sayagyi U Ba Than and
    U Sein Htoon (M63, Past Captain and Gold of RUBC)

    Lucky prize won by U Wynn Htain Oo

  • Mechanical Engineering Gathering in 2016

    Ko Thant Zin (M82, GBNF, son of Saya U Sein Shan) invited me to the first All Mechanical Gathering held in 2016. It was at Dolphin Restaurant (near Kandawgyi).

    Daw Mar Mar Yee (M75, Singapore) and U Hla Win (M73) were Master of Ceremonies.

    U Hla Win is from the Class of 73, but he took sabbatical for two years due to his multiple interests and activities. He attended DAC at UCC and Veda at BARB/MARB (and is now a senior teacher). He is a core organizer for SPZPs held in Yangon (in 2004, 2012 and 2016). He is an advisor on the Myanmar Pyeikkadein Board.

  • UCC & Veda

    U Myint Sein (GBNF) is my childhood friend. He became the Principal at BARB (Burmese Astro Research Bureau). He asked me if I can help him to speed up some Veda processes (e.g. generation of a Natal Horoscope).

    I assigned two students Ko Win Latt and Ko Zaw Tun and supervised them for the Veda projects.

    Ko Win Latt owned a computer and was also an excellent programmer. Under my supervision and with the guidance of Ko Myint Sein, Ko Win Latt came up with three versions. He named them WinHoro V3, V6 and V9.

    V3 produces the “basic” horoscope with Yathi (Rasi), Bawa and Nawin (Navamsa). It is also known as “Tri Cekka Zatar” referring to the three parts. It takes some time (a few minutes to an hour) if done manually.

    V6 produces a better horoscope.

    V9 produces the best horoscope.

    WinHoro was implemented using BASIC (an interpretive language).

    BASIC (Beginner’s All-purpose Symbolic Instruction Code) was designed by Professors Kemeny & Kurtz for use with the Dartmouth College Time Sharing System (CSS).

    Bill Gates and Paul Allen implemented “Tiny BASIC” for the MITS Altair. They co-founded Microsoft.

    BASICA, GWBASIC and variants became a popular language for microcomputers and PCs.

    One needs expert knowledge to “interpret” a Zartar. Ko Zaw Tun used Prolog (language for Logic Programming) to implement the Bedin Rules. He tested his program with several sets of data. He was surprised when his program said that “the Two Year Old is a rich person (possibly a Millionaire)”. He thought that there must be a bug. It turned out that the Two Year Old is a grand son of a wealthy Sawbwa, who decided that his grand son should inherit his wealth.

    Sad to note that my good friend Ko Myint Sein is now GBNF. It was good news and bad news for his son, who was back in Yangon to take examination for Master Mariner. He was present at Ko Myint Sein’s last journey.

    0 comments

    U Myint Sein (GBNF) is my childhood friend. He became the Principal at BARB (Burmese Astro Research Bureau). He asked me if I can help him to speed up some Veda processes (e.g. generation of a Natal Horoscope).

    I assigned two students Ko Win Latt and Ko Zaw Tun and supervised them for the Veda projects.

    Ko Win Latt owned a computer and was also an excellent programmer. Under my supervision and with the guidance of Ko Myint Sein, Ko Win Latt came up with three versions. He named them WinHoro V3, V6 and V9.

    V3 produces the “basic” horoscope with Yathi (Rasi), Bawa and Nawin (Navamsa). It is also known as “Tri Cekka Zatar” referring to the three parts. It takes some time (a few minutes to an hour) if done manually.

    V6 produces a better horoscope.

    V9 produces the best horoscope.

    WinHoro was implemented using BASIC (an interpretive language).

    BASIC (Beginner’s All-purpose Symbolic Instruction Code) was designed by Professors Kemeny & Kurtz for use with the Dartmouth College Time Sharing System (CSS).

    Bill Gates and Paul Allen implemented “Tiny BASIC” for the MITS Altair. They co-founded Microsoft.

    BASICA, GWBASIC and variants became a popular language for microcomputers and PCs.

    One needs expert knowledge to “interpret” a Zartar. Ko Zaw Tun used Prolog (language for Logic Programming) to implement the Bedin Rules. He tested his program with several sets of data. He was surprised when his program said that “the Two Year Old is a rich person (possibly a Millionaire)”. He thought that there must be a bug. It turned out that the Two Year Old is a grand son of a wealthy Sawbwa, who decided that his grand son should inherit his wealth.

    Sad to note that my good friend Ko Myint Sein is now GBNF. It was good news and bad news for his son, who was back in Yangon to take examination for Master Mariner. He was present at Ko Myint Sein’s last journey.

  • Knowledge Transfer

    To help speed up the computerization in Burma, Saya Dr. Chit Swe (Founder / Director) 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.

    Experts for UCC Project

    The following is a partial list of the experts provided by Dr. Huskey.

    • Professor Anthony Ralston (SUNY Buffalo & Past President of ACM)
      Structured Programming
    • Professor Peter Wegner (Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island)
      Programming Languages, Compilers
    • Dr. Malcolm P. Atkinson (Cambridge University Mathematics & Computer Lab)
      Supervised M.Sc. (Computer Science) students
    • Professor Foreman Acton
      Numerical Methods, Author of “Algorithms that [almost] work”
    • Professor Michael Stonebraker (UC Berkeley)
      Ingres (early Relational Data Base Management System)

    RDBMS

    • 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 (e.g. Postgres).
    • Stonebraker won the prestigious ACM Turing Award (“Nobel Prize” for Computer Professionals) a few years ago.
    • Dr. Htay Lwin Nyo, Sai Aung Thurein, 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.

    Feedback

    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 early assignments was to work with developers from Fujitsu and some subsidiaries, Computer Associates and some subsidiaries (including Ingres).