Albert Kyaw Min wrote : The Oldies of RIT 64′ (Second BE) intake, 69’++ Luncheon Gathering at Feel Restaurant sponsored by Danny who arrived yesterday (November 28, 2015) from Singapore. Over 50 classmates gathered .
Emma (Tin Tin Myint) wrote : Good Friends, Good Food, Good Times
Albert, Danny & Robert are the Guitarists. Have not heard from Robert.
U Win Kyi (GBNF)
U Aung Min wrote : Funeral service of Ko Win Kyi (GBNF 87) from The Mirror 30/11/18
U Kyaw Oo wrote : U Win Kyi was my roommate in Delft, the Netherlands.
The Group photo shows the Staff and the 2nd, 3rd and Final Year students.
A60
Most of the 2nd Year students graduated in 1960.
U Tin Htoon (A60)
1960 ARAE Regatta
Past Captain & Gold, RUBC.
Won the Union of Burma President’s Challenge Cup for Inter-club Coxed Eights in 1956.
Won the Venables Bowl for Coxless Pairs at the 1958 ARAE Regatta in Calcutta with Dr. Harry Saing (GBNF).
Won the Willingdon Trophy for Coxed Fours at the 1960 ARAE Regatta in Colombo, with Dr. Harry Saing (GBNF), Sunny Teng, Victor Htun Shein (GBNF) and Sein Htoon (M63)
Won Silver medal for Yachting at SEAP Games in Bangkok with Hla Khin.
Founded Architects Incorporated with U Bo Gyi (A59, GBNF) & U Aung Kyee Myint (A60). They later joined PWD.
Designed Thiri Pyit Saya hotel in Bagan
Designed Burmese Buddhist Temple in Singapore
Board Member of Pariyatti Association
Fundraiser & organizer for selected Goenka projects
In 1963, he compiled the Souvenir Magazine for the RUBC 40th Anniversary with Sithu U Tin (President) and U Po Zon (Vice President).
In 2013, he chaired the subcommittee to publish the Souvenir Magazine for the RUBC 90th Anniversary. U Myo Myint (EC67, RUBC Gold) was Vice Chair. U Htaik San (Henry Kao, M81, RUBC Gold) was Secretary. U Hla Min (EC69) was Contributing Editor, who wrote Prelude for every section and three feature articles.
Retired after working in Myanmar, Singapore and California (USA)
Co-founder, Triple Gems Publication
Compiled Photo Albums with Htaik San (Henry) for his parents, two elder brothers (U Tin U & U Ba Than) and a nephew (Dr. Peter Tun, who passed away with COVID-19 in UK).
U Aung Kyee Myint (A60)
Founded Architects Incorporated with U Bo Gyi (A59, GBNF) & U Tin Htoon (A60)
Retired Chief Architect of PWD.
U Kin Maung Yin (A60, GBNF)
Part-time saya
Proponent of Modern Art
Movie Director
Koon Yin Chu (Phillip Chu, A60)
First in Burma in Matric exam of 1954 from SPHS
First in the Class of A60
Attended SPZP-2000
Restaurant owner; Good dancer
Chemical
Seven ChE60 graduates
ChE
U Aung Zaw Win (Ch60)
Col. DI/HIC ( Retired)
U Tha Tun Aung (Ch60)
Maj. DI (Retired)
Director HIC (Retired)
Saya Dr. Maung Maung Win (ChE60, GBNF)
Dr. Maung Maung Win
Retired as Professor of Chemical Engineering
Masters from Kansas University and Doctorate from Purdue University
Civil
U Tun Aye (C60)
Amara Hall, volleyball player Captain
He was from Nyaungdon
U Tun Aung (C60)
Secretary of Prome Hall S&R (1958-59)
Prome Hall football team member
U Taik Lwin (C60)
Major, GE (Retired), GBNF
Director, HIC
U Lay Lwin (C60)
Major, GE (Retired)
Director, TSC
Ministry of Industry 2
U Khin Zaw (C60)
Major, GE (Retired)
U Soe Lin (C60)
Construction Corp. (Retired)
U Kan Aye (C60)
Director (Public Works) (Retired)
CC
He was from Moulmein
U Soe Kyaw (C60)
MOC (Retired)
He was from Thaton
U Than Ngwe (C60, GBNF)
CC (Retired)
He was from Mandalay and brother of the late U Than Shwe
U Ba Swe (C60)
Dy. Director ( Water/ Sanitation), Public Works
Per U Aye : Volleyball team mate Prome Hall selection in 1958-59
U Hla Thein (C60)
CC (Retired)
Prome Hall selected footballer.
U Kyaw Htin (C60)
Construction corporation
He was from St.Patrick’s HS, Mawlamyine
U Tin Ohn (C60)
Port Commissioners, Yangon.(Retired)
Went for further study in Australia.
He was from SHS No.1, Mawlamyine.
U Hla Tin (C60)
Irrigation (Retired)
A writer/poet (Kaytu Win Tint), my mentor, senior colleague from Prome Hall, he was in room no. 102, while I (U Aye N62) was in room 108.
He was from Toungoo.
U Hla Thein (C60)
From State HS No,1, Mawlamyine
Ramanya Hall basketball star
Yangon City Development (GNBF)
Electrical
U Mg Mg Myo Nyunt (EE60)
Major (DI) (Retired)
(also known as Ko Than Nyunt at Prome Hall)
President of SPARKS (1958-59)
U Htay Swe (EE60)
He was from St Patrick’s HS. Moulmein. He matriculated the same year with U Aung Tun (DI) .
U Than Htut (EE60)
ECC (Retired)
Passed away while on state scholarship to the US.
U Nyan Tun (EE60)
EPC
He was from SHS No.1, Mawlamyine
U Tun Yee (EE60)
Dy. Director (Electrical), Public Works
Per U Aye : He was from Prome Hall, known for body building, our instructor for body building in his room, 1958-59.
U Soe Thein (EE60)
Attended SPZP-2000 with his brothers Saya Dr. Aung Soe (C61) and Saya Dr. K C Chiu (ChE63)
Mechanical
U Aung Tun (M60)
Major(Retired), Defense Industries (DI)
St. Patrick’s HS, Mawlamyine
Prome Hall selection in football and basketball
U Hla Shwe (M60)
Lt Col (Retired), Defense Industries
U Khin Maung Win (M60)
EE, BPI (Retired)
He was from Morton Lane Judson HS, Moulmein
Nelson Khaing (M60)
Major (DI) (Retired)
Dy. Supdt No.4 HI
U Tun Aung Zaw (M60)
Ministry of Mines
Per U Aye : He was my senior neighbour at Prome Hall in 1958-59), room number 107, while I was in room number 108.
Saya U Tin Htut (M60)
Past Captain & Gold, RUBC
Taught Industrial Management (formerly taught by sayas from Social Science & Institute of Economics)
Co-founder & Past President, BASES
Financial Controller, 2015 RIT Alumni Reunion in Los Angeles
Donated to various RIT-related projects (e.g Library Modernization
Saya U Tin Maung Nyunt (M60)
U Tin Maung Nyunt
MS from Virginia Tech
Taught Agricultural Engineering at RIT
President of RIT Thaing
Worked in Thailand & USA.
Donated to Norcal RITAA & YTU Library Modernization Project.
U Than Tin (M60, GBNF)
U Tin Htut & U Than Tin
RUBC Gold
Won the Union of Burma President’s Challenge Cup for Inter-Club Coxed Eights in 1956
U Than Sein (M60)
Due to schedule conflict, he could not join the M60 Reunion lunch with U Tin Htut & U Than Tin.
Saya U Tun Shwe (M60)
U Tun Shwe
Patron of RITAA, SDYF and SPZP.
Attended 2015 RIT Alumni Reunion in Los Angeles. His host was his cousin U Win Htay (Walter Cheng Lyan, M70).
U Bo Lay (M 60)
EE Mechanical (Retired)
Irrigation Dept.
U Hla Shein (M60)
Asst Lecturer, 1960-61
Moved to CC
Manager, Insein Workshop
Part time lecturer on mechanized construction.
Metallurgy
U Than Shwe (Met60, GBNF)
Lt Col, Defense Industries
MD -Heavy Industries Corp.(HIC)
Minister for Industries
U Kyaw Win (Met60)
Lt Col (Retired), Defense Industries
Public Health
U Maung Maung (Public Health 60)
Major-GE(Retired)
UNICEF (Sierra Leone)
UNICEF(New York)
He was from Morton Lane Judson HS, Mawlamyine
During his assignment in FAO project in Sierra Leone, U Aye met U Maung Maung in Freetown
Started school at an early age. I was not enthusiastic.
My mother said something magical happened one day She thanked Teacher Kywe, a Karen Christian with a warm soul & the skill to transform a normal kid like me into a life long learner.
For several years, my mother asked me to visit Teacher Kywe and pay respect to her. It was an early Micro-SPZP. Her eyes were filled with pride as she introduced her former student to her current students.
SPZP
Saya Pu Zaw Pwe (SPZP) transcends religion.
Some said that RIT was a dying breed, but there were several who wanted to keep the RIT Spirit alive & well. They wanted to have sayas & alumni get reconnected electronically via Internet, and physically via Pu Zaw Pwes.
SF Bay Area Alumni Group
RIT Alumni International was formed by the San Francisco Bay Area Group (and KMZ) with the objective to host the First RIT Alumni Reunion & SPZP in San Francisco, California, USA in October 2000.
The term SPZP was chosen over Saya Gadaw Pwe — which had religious connotation — to allow sponsors & alumni who profess different religions to pay back to their mentors for their metta and cetana.
I am honored to be a member of the team that organized SPZP-2000, and SPZPs in Singapore (2002, 2007 & 2010) and Myanmar (2004, 2012 & 2016).
Singapore has a large number of alumni. Its proximity to Myanmar eased the task of inviting sayas to attend SPZPs.
SPZP-2012 was the first true Home Coming. Thanks to U Aye Myint (EP72), who did not forget his alma mater.
U Aye Myint
SPZP-2016 was the first to have a full day event at the Gyogone Campus. RITAA, Sponsors and Donors provided free food & entertainment.
RITAA
The smiles from our beloved sayas and sayamas, and occasional “slap on my back” from my former colleagues, classmates and give me “second wind” even after being a volunteer messenger for 26 years.
KMZ (Right)
U Khin Maung Zaw (KMZ, EC76) wrote :
The official name of these “Reunions” was one of the many discussions at the very early days of first Reunion committee members under the leadership of Saya Allen Htay. All of us were aware that the “Saya Gadaw Pwe” could somehow be restrictive where you would have many intakes and graduation classes spanning several decades not to mention people transcending various religions.
SPZP, Saya Pu Zaw Pwe, was officially adopted. It turned out well, and was adopted by the consecutive Reunions.
SAYA PU ZAW PWE (Poem)
Poem in Newsletter
S eems like it was only yesterday A t our alma mater in a land far away Y ou taught us to work, play, laugh, even cry A nd coaxed us, forced us to aim for the sky
P roblems in real life, lab, computation, survey U nderstand concepts, design, display, …
Z eal, zest, ardor, grit, passion to make it “our day” A rchitects, engineers, we’ve come here to say W e honor your metta, your cetana — we fully can’t repay
P resently we meet, alum from five decades we greet W ith memories true, fond, sweet E cstatic yet sad that the GBNF could not join this memorable fete
My poem was published on the front page of the commemorative issue of RIT Alumni Newsletter for SPZP-2000.
Saya U Moe Aung & team reprinted my poem on the back cover of Swel Daw Yeik Sar Saung for SPZP-2002 hosted by Singapore alumni.
SPZP-2000 in the USA
SPZP-2000 Organizers
Organizers
Ko Khin Maung Zaw (KMZ, EC76, web master) copied the names/tags from the very first posting from his album.
Sitting L-R: Saya U Mya Htoo (Civil 68), U Benny Tan (Mech 70), Saya KC Chiu (Chem 63), U Hla Min (EC 69) Editor Extraordinaire, Saya U Allen Htay (Civil 58) GNBF, Saya U Nyo Win (Mech 65), Saya U Tin Htut (Mech 60), Saya George Maung Maung (Chem 66), Daw San San Nyunt @ Mrs. Thein Aung (Mech 76)
Standing L-R: U Soe Aung (Mech 75), U Gordon Kaung (Mech 83), , U Myint Swe (EP 74), U Anthony Ng (Mech 76), U Phillip Mya Thwin (EP 75), U Maurice Chee (Mech 75), U Thura Thant Zin (Mech 76), Sayalay U Thein Aung (Met 72), U Myint Lwin @ Henry Chee (Civil 63), Ko Khin Maung Zaw (EC76), Daw Yi Yi Khaing @ Audrey Wong (Civil 84), Daw San San @ Mrs Myint Swe (EC74)
All of them, except KMZ, live in cities across Northern & Southern California. KMZ lives in a city near Seattle, Washington State.
Golden Sponsors
We appreciate the cetana of the following alumni who felt that the RIT Alumni International should have activities beyond the First ever RIT Grand Reunion and Saya Pu Zaw Pwe.
They are honored as “Golden Sponsors” of SPZP-2000.
Steeve Kay (U Thaung Sein, EC70, Southern California) : Donated $1000 initially and later gave an additional $1800.
Ivan Lee (U Khin Maung Oo, M69, New Jersey) : Donated $1200 for the General Fund of RIT Alumni International and for SPZP-2000. Earlier donated $360 for one year’s operating expense of the ex-rit.or web site
David Ko (U Tin Myint, M67, Northern California) : Donated $1000 for SPZP-2000
Benny Tan (Tan Eu Beng, M70, Northern California) : Donated in cash and kind. Designed the memorabilia (Banner, Mug, Calculator/Clock & Tee-shirt). Since he had gift shops, he obtained most memorabilia from his vendors at discount prices.
U Maung Maung Than (M79, Texas) : Donated a Round-trip ticket to Myanmar. By popular acclaim, the ticket was given to Sayagyi U Ba Toke.
Updates
Steeve Kay
Steeve 1Steeve 2
Multiple Golden Sponsor for SPZPs.
Established the “Steeve and Helen Kay Health Care Fund for RIT Sayas and Sayamas. In 2019, the balance of the Fund was handed over to Swel Daw Yeik Foundation.
Founded Kay Family Foundation. KFF sponsored a delegation from Myanmar to visit Universities & Research Institutions in California. KFF provided a matching fund of $30000 for 2015 RIT Alumni Reunion in Los Angeles.
LA 2015
Donated $200,000+ over the years to RIT-related activities.
Sponsored the Centennial Publication of Hwa Kyone School.
He is now GBNF
Ivan Lee
Ivan‘s house in NJWith Saya Dr. Aung GyiWith Saya U Aung Khin
Hosted the annual RIT-UCC Gathering in New Jersey
Sayas at NJ Gathering
Golden Sponsor for SPZP-2007 Sponsored Naw Mu Mu Aye to attend the SPZP
Co-founded MASTAA. Was CEO
David Ko
David
Donated US $3000 to SPZP-2012
DonationAppreciation
Sponsored Dinner Tables at NorCal RITAA Dinner
He is now GBNF
Benny Tan
Benny 1Benny 2Mug
Multiple Golden Sponsor for SPZPs
For SPZP-2000, he used Steeve’s donation as seed money to raise funds. He designed memorabilia to give to sayas, sayamas and selected organizers / volunteers. Some memorabilia were put on sale for attendees at SPZP-2000.
U Maung Maung Than
Could not attend SPZP-2000, but he comunicated with Saya Allen Htay
Supported Saya Dr. Tin Win’s “Run LA Marathon to raise fund for SPZP-2007”
Sponsors for Sayagyi U Ba Toke
U Ba Toke
U Maung Maung Than donated the round trip ticket
U Zaw Min Nawaday (EP70) hosted Sayagyi and son U Ye Myint (EP72) at his new house in Hayward, California.
Saya Allen Htay, Saya U Tin Htut, Saya Mao Toon Siong and several sayas and alumni took care of Sayagyi’s stay.
SPZP-2000 : By The Numbers
One
SPZP-2000 : First RIT Grand Reunion and SPZP
One round-trip ticket for a saya from Myanmar to attend SPZP-2000. By popular acclaim, Sayagyi U Ba Toke was invited.
Two
Sayas of our sayas
U Num Kok
U Ba Toke
Former RIT Rectors
Dr. Aung Gyi
U Khin Aung Kyi
Major events
Dinner/meeting on Oct 28, 2000
Lunch/picnic on Oct 29, 2000
Organizing Committees
Working Committee : Chaired by Benny Tan and Maurice Chee
Steering Committee (Mostly Sayas)
Three
Outstanding Member Awards
Ko Hla Min (EC69) for the pioneering work of RIT Alumni International website & Editor of RIT Alumni Newsletter
Ko Khin Maung Zaw (EC76) for the design, implementation, maintenance & enhancements to http://www.ex-rit.org
Ko Hla Myint Thein (Maurice Chee, M75) Treasurer, Financial Controller & Publisher of RIT Alumni Newsletter
Four
Four intensive months of preparation by the Organizing Committee
Five
Golden Sponsors for SPZP-2000
Steeve Kay (Ko Thaung Sein, EC 70)
Benny Tan (Tan Yu Beng, M70)
Ivan Lee (Ko Khin Maung Oo, M69)
Ko Maung Maung Than (M79, Texas)
David Ko (Ko Tin Myint, M67)
Six
Number of years spent at the engineering colleges & institutes by most attendees
Seven
Seven unforgettable hours (5 – 12 pm) at the Reunion and SPZP
Seven sleepless nights per week by Maurice, Benny, …
Eight
Countries represented by the attendees
United States
Canada
Myanmar
Thailand
Singapore
Japan
Australia
New Zealand
Major disciplines at RIT
Civil
Mechanical
Electrical
Mining
Textile
Chemical
Metallurgy
Architecture
36
Number of “Post-Reunion” articles written by Hla Min for SPZP-2000
64
Number of “Count down to the Reunion” articles written by Hla Min for SPZP-2000
100
Number of articles written by Hla Min for SPZP-2000
Singapore SPZPs
SPZP-2002, SPZP-2007 & SPZP-2012 hosted by the Singapore alums were grander with a huge turn out at main events, publication of the commemorative Swel Daw Yeik Sar Saungs by Saya U Moe Aung & teams, first-rate entertainment by the famous Swel Daw Yiek Ah Nyeint and the young-at-heart (“never grow old”) singers and dancers.
SPZP-2002
Saya Moe
Saya U Moe Aung (Tekkatho Moe War) was Chair. He was also Chief Editor of the Swel Daw Yeik Sar Saung.
Websites
Saya Dr. Soe Thein (C75) was a core organizer. He & his team maintained two web sites
One for alumni in Singapore
One for Civil Engineers in Singapore
Singapore Alumni web site contained info for SPZP-2002.
SINGAPORE-2002 Ex-RIT Reunion Dinner Program
7 December 2002 (Saturday)
The second web site contains info for resident and visiting Civil Engineering sayas. Some sayas would stay at the hotels provided by the SPZP-2000 Organizers. Some sayas might stay with their former colleagues or students. The contact info is helpful for arranging gatherings and tours.
Civil Sayas’ Address & Contact Number in Singapore
Organizers
The Second RIT Grand Reunion and Saya Pu Zaw Pwe was hosted by the sayas and alums in Singapore.
Saya U Moe Aung (Chair), Saya Dr. Tin Hlaing, Sayama Daw “Emma” Tin Tin Myint, Saya U Aung, Saya U Tin Lin, and Saya Dr. Dr. Soe Thein are some core members of SPZP-2002.
The RIT gathering at the Thingyan festival and musical gala at NTU helped with the planning and implementation of SPZP-2002.
Swel Daw Yeik Sar Saung
SWEL DAW YEIK SAR SAUNG for SPZP-2002 (Singapore).
Saya U Moe Aung (Tekkatho Moe War) & team published the commemorative issue.
They reprinted my poem (first published in the web pages of http://www.ex-rit and the commemorative newsletter). Thanks.
“Don Min” U Yu Swan, U Moe Myint, Daw Moh Moh Han, U Myint San (“Tet Lu”), U Aung Kyaw Myint (“ko Ba Kyaw”) and many other talented Geeta Ah Nu Pyinnar Shins helped with the entertainment for SPZP-2002.
SPZP-2007
U Nyan Win Shwe (Chair)
Saya U Moe Aung (Chief Editor of Swel Daw Yeik Sar Saung)
See “SPZP-2007 Diary”
SPZP-2010
Saya U Moe Aung (Chair; Chief Editor of Swel Daw Yeik Sar Saung)
Yangon SPZPs
SPZP-2004 was held in Yangon, but not at the Gyogone campus. The Tsuanami-related tremors did not deter the sayas and alums from attending SPZP-2004.
SPZP-2012 and SPZP-2016 were held at the Gyogone Campus.
SPZP-2012 was the first True Home Coming
SPZP-2016 was the Free All Day Event
SPZP-2004 in Yangon
The following appeared in the ReUnion 2004 Home Page
RIT Reunion & Saya Pu Zaw Pwe – 2004 Yangon, Myanmar 26th December 2004
Morning : Saya Pu Zaw Pwe
Date : Sunday, December 26, 2004 Time : 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 am Place : Myanmar Convention Center (MCC)
Evening : Dinner & Entertainment
Date : Sunday, December 26, 2004 Time : 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. Place : Dusit Inya Lake Hotel
Pu Zaw Pwe Office & Contact
Office : United Engineering Co Ltd Corner of Wayzayantar Road & Yadana Road Thingangyun Township 11071 Yangon MYANMAR
Contact : U Zaw Min (Mechanical 1975) U Hla Win (Mechanical 1975)
The Third RIT Grand Reunion and Saya Pu Zaw Pwe was hosted by the sayas and alums in Myanmar. U Win Khaing (M 75) & his team (U Zaw Min, U Hla Win) formed the core of the Yangon-2004 SPZP Organizers. An earthquake that morning did not deter the attendees.
SPZP-2012
Tears of Joy
SPZP-2012Attendees
When alums learned that SPZP-2012 will be held at their alma mater (which had been largely neglected and turned into dilapidated building with bushes around), tears of joy fell.
When alums learned that the Stage-3 cancer survivor “Seik Kyi” (Cartoon Myint Pe) and his fellow cartoonists will revive the Cartoon Box, and also publish a collection of “RIT cartoons” (at a modest price of K1500), they was laughter and echoes of “walking down memory lane”.
When alums learned that the multiple ICU visitor Ko Saw Lin (C71) would head not only the main preparation committee of SPZP-2012, but also publish the 350+ page commemorative SWEL DAW YEIK MAGAZINE, reprint limited copies of the 23 vintage RIT Annual magazines, their spirits became high.
When alums learned that Sayagyi U Ba Than, Saya U Soe Paing, Saya U Aung Hla Tun and team would take the first (scoped but important) step to compile the “History of University Engineering Education in Burma / Myanmar”, the importance and uniqueness of SPZP-2012 became evident.
Homage at SPZP-2012
December 30, 2012 saw several Union ministers and deputy ministers sitting on the lawn alongside the alums and paying respect to the sayas and sayamas for their “Arcariya” virtues (irrespective of age and experience). That day saw sayas, sayamas, and alums endure the hot sun to bask in the glory and memories of the hey days. That day saw the re-emergence of RIT glory and the close bond of alums spanning five or more decades.
SPZP-2012 will go down in engineering history as one of the historic and memorable events (which many had feared would not see in their life time).
Thanks to the unsung heroes for carrying on the noble tradition.
SPZP-2016
SPZP-2016U LinBag for attendees
All-Day Free Event was held at the Gyogone Campus.
Free food for Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.
Saya Pu Zaw Pwe was held in the morning.
Reunion Dinner & Entertainment took place in the evening.
Updates
Effects of Jara, Byadi & Marana are noticable
Several sayas — U Ba Toke, U Num Kok, U Ba Than, U Khin Aung Kyi, U Min Wun — are now GBNF
Some sponsors — Steeve Kay, David Ko — are now GBNF
Some organizers — Saya Allen Htay, U Win Khaing, U Saw Lin — are now GBNF
SPZP-2020 was canceled due to the pandemic
Some PZPs are conducted online
At some PZPs, attendees pay homage while standing. Sayas remain seated at their tables (do not have to go on stage).
When the Korean War erupted in 1950 with the USA and China as the main protagonists, I was a child [probably too young to comprehend the details], but the interest in the war and its impact intensified as I grew older. Imperial Japan ruled Korea from 1910 to 1945. At the end of the Second World War, USSR (Union of Soviet Socialist Republic) declared war on Japan [supposedly] with the aim of dividing Korea. With the approval of the US, the Soviet Union claimed North of the 38th Parallel. The USA took control of South Korea. Japan conceded defeat and left Korea.
The conflict between the Governments of North Korea and South Korea escalated into a full-scale war. With the backing of the Soviet Union and China, the North Korea army invaded South Korea in June, 1950. The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) condemned the invasion and passed a resolution to defend South Korea. Twenty one nations (including US) sent forces to defend South Korea.
About two months – in the early phase of the war – South Korean forces suffered losses and had to retreat. Then, the counter attacks of the UN forces were able to “severe” the connections of the North Korean fighting units. In the middle of 1951, China sent forces to aid the North Korean army. UN forces retreated.
I am not trying to describe the Korean War in detail. I want to emphasize the intensive use of man power to engage in traditional combat. Note that there were occasional uses of bombers. During the three years (June 25th 1950 to July 27th 1953), there was a huge number of dead, wounded, POW (prisoners of war), and MIA (missing in action). The following statistics show the ghastly nature of the war. Note that only South Koreans are accounted for “South Korea & the 21 nations sent by UN”.
South Korea 178,426 Dead 566,434 Wounded & POW
North Korea 300,000 (estimate) Dead 303,000 Wounded; 120,000 POW
China 400,000+ (estimate) Dead 486,000 Wounded; 21,000 POW
Civilian Casualty 2.5 million South Koreans 1.5 million North Koreans
(2)
From the list of casualties, we can clearly see the striking amount of dead and wounded for both soldiers and civilians. In particular, China – the most populated nation in the world – is estimated to have 900 thousand dead and wounded. Imagine, how many soldiers China must have sent to help North Korea. The News Media of that time coined the phrase “Sea of men” to describe the Chinese army battling the Korean War. One can envision the mass of fighters as an vast open sea.
We have witnessed two “Sea of men” in our mother land. We saw the first Sea in 1988. We are seeing the second Sea now [in 2015]. The poem “Sea of men” was written in September 1988, but it was censored. One does not need to think twice to guess why I wrote the poem.
SEA OF MEN
Water – drop by drop
countless drops assemble
as a water flow
Water flows – collectively
rushing, hustling, bustling –
transforming into a stream
From streams
to twisting, turning and winding rivers
to the whorl of the sea
Very long and broad – vast expanse
waves – agitated by winds – rise high
with grudge and anger
to put down [intruders]
It’s SACCA (“Thitsar” – Truth of nature)
[Rower] holding an oar
thrusting into the water
hoping to harness the wave, but …
[Helmsman] on board a ship
with engine roaring
hoping to split the wave, but …
Only for a short while
the waves seem to loosen –
with sprinkles and sprouts
turn into vortex with immense power –
stronger than ever
One can never break up determined men
It’s SACCA (“Thitsar” – Truth of nature).
September 23rd, 1988
The current “Sea of men” is not for sending people to fight as in the Korean War. It is SACCA [“Thitsar” – Truth of nature] that people, who had to breathe for a long, long time polluted air and strive in an environment with degradation in economics, health, civics, ethics, and education, WOULD assemble VOLUNTARILY in the hope of breathing pure, clean air once again. Does not one like gentle breeze? Does not one want to enjoy fragrances that are carried by the breeze? Sad to note that some of the drains that are left uncleaned are making the air unfit to breathe. Worse still, the defamatory attacks by some have further degraded the air quality.
As the November, 2015 elections draw close, we see “Sea of men”. People truly want to understand and differentiate the ones who really care to upgrade the quality life of lay people, from those, who tend to ignore the people and care only for their own.
Updates
Saya Moe
Saya had medical problems, but he did not stop writing articles & kabyars.
Kabyar
Thanks Saya for your presents — books, magazines, sar saungs & pasoe
Took United Airlines from San Francisco International airport
Flight was delayed for more than two hours because the computer system was down
Our plane was diverted to Syracuse airport in New York to refuel and to wait there until Newark (New Jersey) airport — which had experienced traffic congestion — could handle the incoming flights
Ivan Lee (M69) was aware of the flight delay. He picked us up at the airport.
He would be our host & trip coordinator.
Selected events from the trip are described below.
July 10, 2015
On the road to NYC
Ivan took us — Sayagyi Dr. Aung Gyi, Daw Emma, my spouse & me— on a New York tour.
We felt like “honored guests” because New York City was lined up with fans — young and old — of the US women’s soccer team which won the World Championship for the third time.
July 11, 2015
NJ GatheringSix 69ers & Two Sayas
Ivan hosted a gathering in honor of Sayagyi Dr. Aung Gyi and Saya U Soe Paing (EE, UCC).
Ivan had hosted the RIT-UCC gathering for several years.
Attendees include Richard Than Se (ChE62, classmate of U Soe Paing), Fred Thegyi (M69), U Tun Aung Gyaw (EC69), Daw Saw Yu Tint (Alice, T69), U Toung (Tom, EC69), U Sein Myint (EC76, UCC), Daw Sao Mon Sint (Cindy, UCC), U Mya Aung (UCC), U Soe Myint (UCC) and Ivan’s relatives (who displayed their culinary skills).
There were six 69ers at the gathering.
July 13, 2015 (Windsor, Canada)
Windsor Breakfast
Sayagyi U Aung Khin was delighted to see his former students — Ivan Lee & Fred Thetgyi — drive a long way to pay respect to him.
Ivan provided his Mercedes & gas for the trip.
Fred drove most of the way to let Ivan have a light load. Fred also took photos of the trip.
Sayagyi allowed my spouse & I to spend the night at his guest room.
Sayagyi prepared “pe kyaw” and “mohinga” for breakfast the next morning for the four of us. He also gave mementos.
July 14 – 15, 2015 (Napean, Canada)
NapeanThousand Islsnds
Sayagyi Dr. Aung Gyi hosted his former students for two days.
Showed us around Toronto
Took us to the Thousand Islands
July 16 -17, 2015 (Massachusetts)
MITU TAG & Daw KMM
Despite being busy working on two projects, U Tun Aung Gyaw took two days off to host his former classmates.
He took us to MIT & Harvard.
It has become a tradition to touch the “shining” shoe of Harvard’s statue (and make a wish). Fred touched with one hand and made a wish on behalf of his grand kid. Ivan touched with both hands (saying he need to make a wish on behalf of his six grand children).
July 18 – 19, 2015 (Connecticut)
Library
U Toung (Tom) & Daw Khin Myint (Kim) were our hosts for the Connecticut leg of our trip.
A photo was taken by Fred in front of one of the 30+ libraries at Yale University.
Another photo was taken by a waitress (who has a “FRED” tattoo on her arm in honor of her dad) at Table (10) of Frank Pepe’s pizza. Photos of the then young Bill Clinton, who frequented the pizza place, can be seen on the wall. She then checked Fred’s ID and agreed to have a picture together.
Pizza
Miscellaneous
On the way to Windsor, Canada we stopped to see Niagara Falls from the Canadian side. On a previous trip, I had seen Niagara Falls from the US side. Many say that the view from the Canadian side is better.
The speed limit in Canada was lower than that of US. The GPS had some hiccup inside Canada. We ended up late arriving at Sayagyi U Aung Khin’s house.
We just drove around Toronto on our way to Sayagyi Dr. Aung Gyi’s house. We prefer to be early than late.
U Tun Aung Gyaw lives in Shrewbury (about 50 miles from Boston). He was working on multiple projects.
Tom lives in Trumbull, Connecticut. He is retired. He often flew to Hong Kong to see his son & grandchild.
As a side trip, Fred took us to Pennsylvania (where he lives) & Maryland. We visited Liberty Bell & selected places. U Thein Han is my sole remaining uncle. He lives in Maryland.
Ivan had two PEs (from New Jersey and New York). He owns some real estate. He loves to cook. He plays accordion and harmonica. He is a Life time Platinum member of US Bridge Association. He is a Golden Sponsor of SPZP-2000 and SPZP-2007. He is a major donor to the 69er Health Care Fund.
Took United Airlines from San Francisco International airport
Flight was delayed for more than two hours because the computer system was down
Our plane was diverted to Syracuse airport in New York to refuel and to wait there until Newark (New Jersey) airport — which had experienced traffic congestion — could handle the incoming flights
Ivan Lee (M69) was aware of the flight delay. He picked us up at the airport.
He would be our host & trip coordinator.
Selected events from the trip are described below.
July 10
On the road to NYC
Ivan took us — Sayagyi Dr. Aung Gyi, Daw Emma, my spouse & me— on a New York tour.
We felt like “honored guests” because New York City was lined up with fans — young and old — of the US women’s soccer team which won the World Championship for the third time.
July 11
NJ GatheringSix 69ers & Two Sayas
Ivan hosted a gathering in honor of Sayagyi Dr. Aung Gyi and Saya U Soe Paing (EE, UCC).
Ivan had hosted the RIT-UCC gathering for several years.
Attendees include Richard Than Se (ChE62, classmate of U Soe Paing), Fred Thegyi (M69), U Tun Aung Gyaw (EC69), Daw Saw Yu Tint (Alice, T69), U Toung (Tom, EC69), U Sein Myint (EC76, UCC), Daw Sao Mon Sint (Cindy, UCC), U Mya Aung (UCC), U Soe Myint (UCC) and Ivan’s relatives (who displayed their culinary skills).
There were six 69ers at the gathering.
July 13 (Windsor)
Windsor Breakfast
Sayagyi U Aung Khin was delighted to see his former students — Ivan Lee & Fred Thetgyi — drive a long way to pay respect to him.
Ivan provided his Mercedes & gas for the trip.
Fred drove most of the way to let Ivan have a light load. Fred also took photos of the trip.
Sayagyi allowed my spouse & I to spend the night at his guest room.
Sayagyi prepared “pe kyaw ပဲကြော်” and “mohinga မုန့်ဟင်းခါး” for breakfast the next morning for the four of us. He also gave mementos.
July 14 & 15 (Napean)
NapeanThousand Islsnds
Sayagyi Dr. Aung Gyi hosted his former students for two days.
Showed us around Toronto
Took us to the Thousand Islands
July 16 & 17 (Massachusetts)
Despite being busy working on two projects, U Tun Aung Gyaw took two days off to host his former classmates.
Took us to MIT and Harvard.
It has become a tradition to touch the “shining” shoe of Harvard’s statue (and make a wish).
Fred touched with one hand and made a wish on behalf of his grand kid.
MIT
Ivan touched with both hands saying he needed to make a wish on behalf of his six grand children.
Dinner
July 18 & 19 (Connecticut)
U Toung (Tom) and Daw Khin Myint (Kim) were our hosts for the Connecticut leg of our trip.
A photo was taken by Fred in front of one of the 30+ libraries at Yale University.
Another photo was taken by a waitress (who has a “FRED” tattoo on her arm in honor of her father) at Table (10) of Frank Pepe’s pizza. Photos of the then young Bill Clinton, who frequented the pizza place, can be seen on the wall. She checked Fred’s ID & agreed to have a picture together.
YalePizza
Miscellaneous
On the way to Windsor, we stopped to see Niagara Falls from the Canadian side. On a previous trip, I had seen Niagara Falls from the US side. Many say that the view from the Canadian side is better.
Niagara
The speed limit in Canada was lower than that of US. Ivan’s GPS had some hiccup inside Canada. We ended up late arriving at Sayagyi’s U Aung Khin house.
We just drove around Toronto on our way to Sayagyi Dr. Aung Gyi’s house. We prefer to be early than late.
U TAG lives in Shrewbury about 50 miles from Boston. He was working on multiple projects.
Tom lives in Trumbull, Connecticut. He is retired. He spends time in Hong Kong with his son & grandchild.
As a side trip, Fred took us to Pennsylvania & Maryland. He lives in Philadelphia. We visited Liberty Bell & selected places. U Thein Han is my sole remaining uncle. He lives in Maryland.
Ivan had two PEs (from New Jersey and New York). He owns some real estate. He loves to cook. He plays accordion and harmonica. He is a Life time Gold member of US Bridge Association. He is a Golden Sponsor of SPZP-2000 and SPZP-2007. He is a major donor to the 69er Health Care Fund.
President of Swel Daw Yeik Foundation; Hosted lunch meetings
Major donor for SDYF
Donated to Alumni Association for YTU Library Modernization
Donated for the Entertainment Program of SPZPs & SDYF events
Provided Eye Care for eligible RIT sayas & sayamas
Sang SDYF theme song with Saya U Moe Aung (Tekkatho Moe War, Patron of SDYF). The song is not a transformation of Saya’s poem. It was a new composition. Ko Than Po (M75) helped with the music injection.
Attended the 2015 RIT Alumni Reunion in Los Angeles.
Attended the Alumni Gathering in SF Bay Area.
Updates
Balance of the “Vision Care fund for RIT sayas & sayamas” was transferred to SDYF
Daw Mya Mya Than ဒေါ်မြမြသန်း (ကွယ်လွန်) — ဆရာမ ငြိမ်း
Daw Mya Mya Than
U Soe Myint Lwin ဦးစိုးမြင့်လွင် (ကွယ်လွန်) — ဘော်လုံး
Soe Myint Lwin
U Tun Aung ဦးထွန်းအောင် (Jeffrey, ကွယ်လွန်) — BASES
Tun Aung
U Saw Win ဦးစောဝင်း (ကွယ်လွန်)
Saw Win
U Thein Zaw ဦးသိန်းဇော် (Joe, ကွယ်လွန်)
Thein Zaw
Dickey Paul (ကွယ်လွန်)
He passed away in Australia.
U Myo Myintဦးမျိုးမြင့် — လျှပ်စစ်စာဆောင်
Myo Myint
U Aung Khin ဦးအောင်ခင် — Gawpaka, BASES
Aung Khin
U Min Maung ဦးမင်းမောင် Gawpaka
Seattle Monastery
မြို့ပြ Civil
U Myat Htoo ဦးမြတ်ထူး — ဆရာ ငြိမ်း၊
Founding member, RIT Alumni International Organizer, SPZP-2000 Founding member, NorCal RITAA
Myat Htoo
U Myint Soe ဦးမြင့်စိုး (ကွယ်လွန်) — ဆရာ ငြိမ်း
He is SPHS 62.
C68 — Class Photo
C68
C68 — Status
15 ယောက် ခန့် — ကွယ်လွန် GBNF (Gone But Not Forgotten)
GBNF
စက်မှု Mechanical
U Yu Swan ဦးယုစွမ် —ဒုံမင်း Don Min
Yu Swan
U Khin Maung Nyo ဦးခင်မောင်ညို — ကြက်တောင်
Member of the RIT Badminton Team which won the Inter-Institute Trophy
U Ngwe Tun ဦးငွေထွန်း — Dio
Provided comments for several posts
ချည်ထည် Textile
U Khin Maung Lay ဦးခင်မောင်လေး (Henry)
ပြေးခုန်ပစ်၊ Secretary, RIT Track and Field ဘော်လုံး၊ RIT Soccer လှေလှော်၊ RIT Rowing President, BASES Organizer, 2015 RIT Alumni Reunion in Los Angeles
Khin Maung Lay
ဓာတု Chemical
ဦးအုန်းမောင် (Anthony) — ဆရာ ငြိမ်း
ပိသုကာ Architecture
Sai Yee Laik စိုင်းရီလိတ် (ကွယ်လွန်) — ဆရာ ငြိမ်း
Worked for the company that won the Burmese Buddhist Temple project in Singapore.
U Kyaw Myint’s Brief BiographyU Kyaw MyintMesopotamia (Action during WWI)
My father had a very chequered life.
Short stay at Rangoon College
He stood first in the Matriculation examination at the age of sixteen. He had distinction in all subjects including shorthand and typing. He got scholarship when he entered Rangoon College in June 1914 but was expelled from the College in July 1914.
There was going to be a scholarship exam to enter Calcutta University. The Principal of Rangoon College, Mr. Mathew Hunter had chosen two bright young men to take the exams to enter medical college in Calcutta. The two students for this exam were my father and Sayagyi U Ba Than. They were very close friends.
Just before the exams, my grandmother passed away in upper Burma where my grandfather was working. Father went to the Principal to give him leave to attend his mother’s funeral. But the dates would clash with the exams and Mr Hunter refused his permission. Father was told that if he went without the Principal’s agreement, he would be expelled on return.
My father went in time for the funeral but on return, as told to him earlier he was expelled from the College.
Self Support
My grandfather was very angry with my father being expelled. Father was told not to come back to the family.
Father supported himself by doing a unique job. He traveled from Pegu passing through small towns and villages. At that time, there were many Burmese women who had children by Englishmen, and were common law wives. The Englishmen had left Burma, but they did not money regularly.
On behalf of the women, father wrote letters in English to the men in England. He was offered food, small amounts of money, and a place to stay.
He continued doing this, going up the country till he reached Myitkyina some months later.
Bombay Burma Company
Due to father’s expertise in short hand and typing, a young English man from Bombay Burma Company gave father a job as a clerk and secretary. Father told me about the kindness of the English couple who let him stay with them.
Apart from Secretary work, he had to go with workers to the teak trees that had been cut down and later sent them down the Irrawaddy to Rangoon. Father had to supervise that the Bombay Burma Company seal was hammered deep at the end of the logs. The logs were floated down the Irrawaddy river. Logs with the seal were collected and exported to England.
Illness
A year later father had cerebral malaria and it was the young couple who looked after him during the illness.
Enlistment and Assignments
Father stayed on with the English couple till the end of 1916. By that time the war that was said to last only one year had to gone into its third year with no resolution. There were many casualties and new fronts for the conflict. The English government intensified their recruiting efforts.
The young Englishman and his wife returned to England. The husband joined the army.
Father did not want to continue working in Myitkyina. He also thought of enlisting for the war.
He first went to Pegu to reconcile with his father. Grand father was doing a job what would be equivalent to a District Commissioner (DC) but being Burmese was given the post as Extra Assistant Commissioner (EAC) but doing the same job.
Burmese doctors were appointed as Sub Assistant Surgeon (SAS). They had to work like surgeons and civil surgeons.
NB: the status of Burmese doctors before Independence can be read in the books by Dr. U Myint Swe.
In spite of my grandfather telling him not to enlist, father went ahead for enlistment.
The place for enlistment was the at the Cantonment (which Burmanized as “Kan Daw Min” Park). It is the place with a small lake near the Shwe Dagon Pagoda.
At that time, no Burmese would be accepted. One must either be an Anglo-Burman or and Anglo-Indian.
When asked, father gave his name as “John Henry Wilson”. He could be taken for an Anglo because he was very fair with sharp facial features.
Next he was asked to go against the wall to measure his height. Father was only five foot two inches. When the sergeant cane to measure him, he stood up on his toes so that it would be five foot four (the required height for a soldier.
The sergeant asked him whether he really wanted to serve, and getting an affirmative, the sergeant write down on his enlistment as “John Henry Wilson, Anglo-Burman, five foot six”. Father became a soldier.
NOTE:
Since, the English keeps excellent records, there must be enlistment records for the regiment that above item written down above, would still be there in their archives.
I visited the Middle Temple Inn in London, from where my father was called to the Bar. I wanted know about my father, the Librarian asked me for date of being called, went in, back in about 15 mins and gave me a copy of information of my father as recorded in their archives.: Will write more about this in a later post “My father: the Barrister”
I tried to remember but still could not get the place in India where he was sent. I only remembered that it was in a cantonment not far from Dehli.
Father was sent to where the Gloucester Regiment, the 12th Battalion was billeted. He got his training, stayed there for some time rising to the rank of corporal.
Mesopotamia Campaign and “the war to end all wars”
At the start of the war, the British army and its allies thought that it would be a short war lasting for a year or so. But it didn’t as the allies were fighting on different fronts. When the Turkish Ottoman army joined the war, that opened a new front of the war: the “Mesopotamia Front / Campaign”. Father’s regiment was sent to that front.
Germany had sent a fleet of submarines to attack British ships carrying either troops or cargo.
Although not entirely, the British army and navy were depending on oil from Burma Oil Company in Yenangyaung. But when their ships sailing from Burma were being sunk, they looked for an alternative.
Apart from Burma, the oil fields from Mesopotamia were near to England and likely to have less loss during transport.
Just like Burma Oil Company (BOC), there was another company that could offer the required crude oil. Like BOC, the Anglo-Persian Oil Company (AOC) was owned by an Englishman. Both BOC and AOC were taken over by the British government for the war efforts.
The Mesopotamia Campaign happened mainly to save and have access to AOC refineries.
For some years now, whenever I heard about Iraq, Iran, Syria, two words often appeared: Basra and Mosul.
Mesopotamia was the area between the Tigris and the Euphrates rivers. It covered what would later become most of Iraq, parts of Northern Arabia, Eastern part of Syria and South East Turkey.
The oil rigs were in Basra and Mosul within Mesopotamia.
And that was where my father’s regiment was sent: to guard the oil fields from the Germans.
As the German army was engaged in other fronts, it was the Turkish (Ottaman) soldiers and Nomadic Arabs attacking these two areas.
It was mainly skirmishes and attacks mainly by the nomadic Arabs who were given arms by the Germans. The disciplined regiment could repel the poorly planned attacks and thus England still had access to the oil.
Armistice: 11-11-11 11AM
Father and did comrades stayed on in that area till Armistice, the end of the war at: “the 11th hour, of the 11th day of the 11th. month of the year”.
President Woodrow Wilson in his speech said, “the war to end all wars” had ended, using H.G . Wells’ words from the book “The War of the Worlds”. How ironic it was as only three decades later the Second World War happened.
Return Home
Not too long after that soldiers including my father were demobilized and could return to their home countries.
Father returned home to be with his family.
Study at Cambridge University
Since he was expelled from the College, he had never given up his hope to gain a good education. The demob and savings from his salary and other benefits on leaving the army, he now had enough money to go to England to get what he had wanted to do since 1914.
He applied to be admitted to Queens’ College Cambridge, where his elder brother had attended gaining MA, LLB.
Father landed on the shores of England in the spring of 1919. He was twenty one years old.
After spending time in London for a week or so he got to Cambridge to seek admission. Father told me that it was a vibrant time to be as there were so many young men like him, veterans of the war, some who had left their studies and had left to fight the war as well as those like him who had come to be admitted for the first time. He wanted to study at Cambridge as this was where his elder brother studied for his BA (later MA) and LLB.
Both Oxford and Cambridge gave dispensation for veterans, so that they did not have to undergo a strict entrance exam but only had to take what was known as “the little go”.
Father went to the College with all that he had was his matriculation certificate from Burma. He had to go through an interview first to see whether he should be admitted. Father impressed the examiners that he was admitted without the need to take entrance exams.
Finally he thought he was going to get the education he had missed before. He had enough money to sustain him for the four years at the university.
During the two years he was in Cambridge, he actively participated in debates conducted by the Cambridge Union, where he sharpened not only his oratory but also would help him at the courts when he became a practising barrister in Burma. It also helped when he became a well known politician in Burma.
Two things happened that would affect his ambition to be a college graduate.
First when he was in the second year, U Tin Tut arrived. He was sent to Oxford to do his training for the Indian Civil Service (ICS). He was to be the very first Burmese to be admitted to the Service. And unlike the others who later joined, he was the only Burmese to be admitted by nomination and not by selection examinations.
In December 29th 1920, there was a nation wide students strike against the British government. Schools and the Rangoon University was closed down.
U Myint Thein was then studying in the junior BA class at the University. Not knowing when the university would be reopened, even without telling my father he traveled by ship to England. This he did without any funds for tuition fees. He arrived and requested my father to pay for his tuition and upkeep in Cambridge.
U Tin Tut gambled a lot on the races and he also was asking father to help pay some of his gambling debts.
Father decided to leave Cambridge so that he could support his younger brother. He searched for a job to sustain the three of them.
For the second time in his life, his education had to be postponed.
At that time, there was Burma Club. Many years later — at the time when Saya U Maung Nyo was studying in London — there would be the Britain Burma Club. And Prof. Woodruff, who was a visiting professor of tropical medicine in Rangoon, was a Patron.
The Burma Club was for the people who have served in Burma both before and during the war. Father got a job as the secretary of the Club. It enabled him to sustain the needs of his two brothers and allowed him to prepare for the barrister examinations.
I have titled this part of my post as “Cambridge — here I come”, but for father in 1920 was “Cambridge — here I leave”.
Yet again he was thwarted from gaining a university degree.
P.S. In spite of all the obstacles, in 1948, on gaining independence, my father, the college dropout, was appointed as one of the first three Supreme Court Justices of our country. And also later became the very first Dean of the Faculty of Law at the Rangoon University.
Four brothers and Inns of Court
The complete series of articles have been posted in Facebook and archived in hlamin.com
Magnum Opus
Dr. Thane Oke Kyaw Myint e-mailed me a soft copy of “Who’s Who in Heath and Medicine (in Burma/Myanmar)” (Second edition).
It is the Magnum Opus of Professor Mya Tu and his wife Daw Khin Thet Hta.
There was an attempt to update it, but did not happen.
Dr. Tin U
Saya U Tin U was the pioneer of child health and paediatrics in Burma. He was the first Burmese doctor to pass the MRCP (Paediatrics), the first professor of Child Health, the first medical superintendent of the Rangoon Children’s Hospital, the first Principal of the postgraduate school of child health. He was the only Burmese Paediatrician to serve as WHO Professor of Paediatrics in India (Calicut) and Bangladesh (Dhaka).
Saya called our medical disciple as “child health” rather than Paediatrics as he would like to focus on keeping children healthy rather than looking after them when their are unwell. Saya pioneered the use of Oral Rehydration Solution for diarrhoea in children, setting up center for childhood malnutrition; standardization of treatment of Dengue Haemorhagic Fever. He authored seven books on child health, all of which went into multiple reprints and Saya was awarded the National Literary Prize (Ahmyo Thar Sapay Su). Saya also served as the Member of the parliament for Dagon Township for one term. Saya was the elder brother of Saya U Sein Win (RIT EE).
Before You Judge People (2015)
Dr. Su Mon, daughter of Dr. Thane Oke Kyaw Myint, used her strong mental prowess to overcome adversity.
She posted on Facebook in 2015:
Dear world, I just want you to know that I am more than the sum of my diseases and limitations, I am more than my usually failing body, I am more than my brains and IQ, I am more than just a person with disability. I am more than my limp and my strange gait (yes it would be good if you stop staring at me when you see me) and I am more than my many scars. And I am definitely stronger (mentally) than you can possibly imagine. Please don’t think my life is easy, that I was born with a silver spoon in my mouth, that all that I have achieved so far came to me easily. I worked damn hard for every little thing, every step forward is hard fought with all that I have in me. I may not meet your definition of success or beauty, or intelligence but I am ok with that. I love who I am, many flaws and all. All I ask before you judge me or dismiss me is that you spend an hour in my shoes. I will do the same for you.
Dr. Myo Khin (C70) wrote :
Heartfelt appreciations to your strong spirit and will, all the best. May lord Buddha bless and keep you. Your god uncle, MK.
Cecilia James wrote :
A fighter against all adversaries and a risk-taker is to be admired. The world makes way for a person who knows where she / he is going. May God bless you and may you be successful in all your endeavors !
Historic photo of Burmese Doctors
Saya Ko Gyi, Ophthalmologist and Medical Superintendent of EENT Hospital, is the father of Dr. Thein Wai (SPHS63, Fifth in Burma) and U Aung Khin (SPHS63, DSA, GBNF).
Sayagyi Col. Min Sein is the father of Dr. Thein Htut (RUBC Gold).
Sayagyi U Maung Gale was Dean of the Rangoon Medical College from1959 to 1962. Per Saya Dr. Maung Nyo, “He was our dean, very quiet and peaceful. He translated Grey’s Anatomy to Burmese and he handed over the manuscripts to Dr Norma Saw.”
Prof. U Khin Maung Win was Pathologist and DG ME. At one time, he headed the Medical Board to examine the people chosen for States Scholar.
Garawa
Garawa means paying respect (especially to elders and mentors).
U Myint Thein (“MMT”, former Chief Justice of the Union of Burma, former Ambassador to China, and author) paid respect to his elder brother U Kyaw Myint (Barrister, Head of the Tribunal which tried Galon U Saw, and former Dean of the Faculty of Law).
Dr. Thane Oke Kyaw Myint wrote :
It was on the occasion of the 80th birthday celebration of [my Ba Dwe] U Myint Thein at the residence of the British Ambassador Mr. Charles Booth.
Father [U Kyaw Myint] was the Dean of the Faculty of Law, University of Rangoon. He took classes in constitutional law as he explained why it was important to have a comprehensive constitutional law. He also lectured on criminal law.
One anecdote about father: I was very curious when father marked the answer books of BL students. I once saw father giving pass to a student who answered only one question. Father showed me the book which the single answer almost fill. Father told me that although it was only one answer, he wrote as though it was a real lawyer’s brief while others “regurgitate” what they had learned from lectures and books. Father followed the career of his student. As father predicted he became one of the best lawyers in Burma (sorry, have forgotten the name)
The Prime Minister was the Chancellor of the Rangoon University. U Nu followed by U Ba Swe were Chancellors. [Ba Dwe] Dr. Htin Aung was Vice Chancellor. It was during U Ba Swe’s time that father was conferred LLD (in honoris causa), together with Emperor Haile Salasi of Ethiopia.
Among his students was Guardian U Sein Win and Sao Hso Holm.
Father defended U Sein Win when he was arrested and charged for writing articles about the then government. The trial went on till the last day of summation by both sides. Uncle Sein Win told me about what father did. In that day, father stood up and announced that U Sein Win himself would present the summation. U Sein Win was aghast as he had not been told if this. He turned to my father who said “You can do it. If not you are not my student of law”. U Sein Win gave a very impressive summation of the case which was reported full in both national and international papers. And he was acquitted.
“Sawbwalay” Sao Hso Holm (Son of Arzanee Sao San Htun) together with [my Ba Dwe] U Myint Thein, was the first to be arrested and last to be released from custody. [He was the Legal Advisor to the Sawbwas.] He visited my father in his office. Father told his former student that he could join their chambers if he was looking for a job. But he was offered a job by UN ending his career as Assistant Resident Representative in Fiji covering the Pacific islands. I recently bought “Burma, My Mother” by Saw Kaemawadde (Ma Ma Biddy, Sawbwalay’s spouse) her autobiography. Very touching narration of her life. You can get a soft copy from Amazon.
At present is U Mya Thein, senior adviser on the constitution to the present government. He is the son of a brilliant lawyer U Kyin Htone, and also my father’s student. [He is a younger brother of advocate U Tun Tin.]
Dr. Hla Yee Yee wrote :
“ Uncle Monty” to everybody
Dr. Myat Soe wrote :
I know well about your uncle U Myint Thein Saya [TOKM].
He was former Myanmar Ambassador to China, and he was a good friend of (Late) Chinese P.M Mr. Chou-Eng-Lai.
The Student who taught me
In the book of tribute to me, that Prof. Aye Maung Han, Prof. Nyunt Thein, Prof. Ye Myint Kyaw published for my seventieth birthday, many of my former students wrote about what they learned from me when I was teaching and working with them over two decades as a teacher in our medical college.
I would like to share with whoever gets to read this, learning is not one way but two ways: while the students are learning from the teacher, the teacher himself learn from his students Some of the lessons that I learn from them are work related but many more lessons are about being a good person, being dutiful, respect for people, compassion, humbleness, gratitude, integrity and religiosity. For a significant number of them, being either a medical student, a house surgeon and later as a qualified doctor or specialist, life was never a bed of roses.They juggled to fulfill their professional role as well as the role as the bread earner for either their young families or in support of elderly parents.
The student who taught me has written and published significant number of books ranging from fiction (based on his life experiences) to belle letters and articles mainly of which are not only sharing knowledge but also inspirational.
The last time I went back home, he kindly gave me a book of his.
I have read his book more than once. I go back to each chapter of his book repeatedly , especially when I come across an incident or experience, which relates very much to a relevant chapter of his book.
And through this book, my student teaches me.
I had a strong affinity with my colleagues and students and previously when my memory was better than now, I could remember most of whom I taught by their names and the year they graduated. The author, although I knew him well, was not close to me as student, intern and in service,as unfortunately he was either in units other than where I was in or he did postgraduate studies only I had left the country.
Some years back, at the request of Prof. U Aye Maung Han, I gave a talk about my experiences of working in UNICEF, which were so different from my life as a paediatrician. I had titled the talk as “Shades of Mediocrity” as I felt that what I would talk about might seem both to the audience as well as to myself as my having gone through a state of mediocrity, as someone who moved from being a clinician to being an UNICEF staff responsible for public health, nutrition, water and sanitation, emergencies and the broader aspects of interventions to ensure that the the rights of children would be fulfilled. I did genuinely wonderd many times, whether I had contributed significantly beyond mediocrity, to areas of work which I had never worked in.
I had used the title from Simon and Garfunkel’s Homeward Bound lyrics:
“All my words came back to me In shades of mediocrity”.
And I also quoted the vow in Burmese that appears on the front page of every book written by the well known author Tetkatho Phone Naing. The following is my own translation, more correctly my “transliteration” as I will never be able to give a precise translation of of Saya Phone Naing’s poem:
THE VOW
If you should not gain, by reading what I have written,| You cannot lose, if it helps to overcome ennui If at least a word or a para will make you thoughtful If you should find such in my writings, I the slave of writing Will feel that my duty is done.
I will never claim that my writings are to be cherished by the reader, Nor through my writing I will claim as being more learned than the readerI will not go over your head, nor claim to enlighten you
I make this my vow.
Tetkatho Phone Naing
(The original “vow” by the author, I have added as a photo as I do not know how to write in Burmese on Facebook)
After I had just recited the first few lines, someone from the audience stood up and finished the poem for me, the whole passages and vow that had been made by the author..
On top of that he said the “mediocrity or mediocre” need not be seen as permanent nor to be disparaged, as he himself was once a mediocre student during his college life.
The person who said that he was “mediocre” was far from being mediocre, he was already a writer of renown and at the time my talk, he had not only acquired more accolades both as doctor and a writer than most of us but also held a senior teaching position at the medical college.
I must come back to the book he gave me. I want to tell how my ” mediocre” student, whom I know that is never so, with his writings taught me to be a better person.
The book is “Mingalar shi thaw aung myin gyin” or “Auspicious acts conducive to success”
I have looked at how the word “mingalar” could has been translated. In the version of Paritta Protective Verses in Pali, Burmese and English, Sayadaw Silannadabhivamsa translated “mingalar” as “highest blessing”. But, I would like to use “auspicious acts” because according to the Oxford English Dictionary, auspicious means “conducive to success” , and thirty eight auspicious acts in the Mingalar Sutta lead towards the highest blessings. Maybe those who are more conversant with Pali may question my translation. But it would be appropriate for the book, to be translated as “auspicious acts that lead to success”
The author himself has translated “mingalar” as “rules for good and auspicious conduct”
The writer has written a chapter for each of the Mingalar (act or conduct) with erudite explanation on each of the mingalar, quoting each in Pali and Burmese. He has based these not only by rote or learning but from lessons given by eminent sayadaws of Burma. References are made to books on dhamma and sermons by Ledi Sayadaw, Dr. Pyinneikthara, Sayadaw Seikienda, Shwe Oo Min Sayadaw and many more. He shows not just learning and knowing but how much he has internalized and practiced each of the auspicious act, by referring to his life lessons.
The fourteenth stanza of the Mingala sutta describes the first three auspicious acts:
“Asevana ca balanam, Panditanan ca sevana, Puja ca pujaneyanam”
“Not to associate with fools, to associate with the wise And to honor those who are worthy of honor.”
From: translation by Ashin Silanandabhivamsa
As I read, I learn and am so impressed not just by the narratives of his life experiences but also by seeing the depth of understanding of Mingalar Sutta. While starting life as a simple young student, he gets to where he is now by following the various tenets of Buddhism. I use the word “erudite” for him as again Oxford English Dictionary gives the meaning of “erudite” as “having or showing great knowledge or learning” as those who have read the book would agree with me that he has not only understands and learns but also practices what he has learned.
His third chapter is on the third auspicious conduct “pujaca pujaneyyanam” : he wrote about me, as one of the persons whom he considered as his “guru”‘ among those he honors as being worthy of honor. I was very touched on reading this chapter as well as it makes me feel humble to be among those he honored the most as I may not deserve such honor, as I did not have as much contact with him during both his student years nor later as a paediatrician.
Each chapter of this book carries with it the precise meaning of each mingalar and how he has conducted himself according to his deep understanding of each.
After the third reading of the book, I feel as though he are saying the words to me and guiding me towards not only just understanding but also ensure that my conduct are within the tenets of each of the mingalar.
Ko Ye Myint Kyaw, with your book, you have taught me and I would like to thank you for this.
I have only one wish to ask of you: the wish is to ask you to write a similar book on “Metta Sutta” my favorite sutta in the paritta, as I know the extent of metta (compassion) that you have for the patients, their families and your students.
May all the highest blessings be upon you.
With metta, Thane Oke Kyaw-Myint 20 June 2015.
Sad Loss of Manuscripts
Daw Khin Mya Mu’s work
Before U E Maung died, he asked me to bring out exercise books with writings by [my aunt] Daw Khin Mya Mu.
In the books were transcript of many “Kyauk sar” and translation into Burmese of hundreds of stone scriptures from all over Burma.
When I asked him why they were not published, he told me that no printing press [in those days] have fonts for the ancient writings.
[Thus] they were all unpublished.
U E Maung donated his house and belongings to Tipitaka Sayadaw. When he passed away Dr Tha Hla was given the task of selling the property and have as cash donation for Sayadaw. We were not informed but later on when I asked, I was told that except for some books, the handwritten documents were not saved anywhere. Felt very sad about losing the handwritten books.
Only some books were chosen to be donated to the Burmese Department of Rangoon University.
Dr. Htin Aung’s works
The sad thing was when [my Ba Dwe] Dr. Htin Aung left Burma, he had also left not only his books but drafts of books he wanted to finish and publish, mainly in history.
Two Fallen Comrades
Dr. Thane Oke Kyaw Myint shared his memories about two fallen comrades. The first one was about Dr. Myo Myint. The second one was about Dr. Mya Thein (nicknamed “Win Oo” for his mustache and for appearing beside Win Oo in singing “Mee Pone Pwe”).
Dr. Mya Thein was barely fourteen when he passed the Matriculation examination in 1957. His parents pleaded with Saya Dr. Htin Aung (Rector, Ba Dwe of Dr. Thane Oke Kyaw Myint). Sayagyi had returned the favor he received from the Principal of Rangoon College to let him (then underage) attend college.
Plan A failed when Dr. Mya Thein missed the cut to study Medicine by a couple of marks. Plan B succeeded when he passed the Bachelors examination with high marks overall (and especially 60+ marks in Biology) to be attend 2nd MBBS.
For details, read Dr. TOKM’s blog.
Books
Dr. Thane Oke Kyaw Myint wrote :
I am so fortunate that books written by my former students are either given to me by the authors or bought for me by my niece Hnin Wit Yee or Min Thet Aung.
I got a signed copy of “The Female Voice of Myanmar” by Nilanjana Sengupta, translated into Burmese, by Myae Hmone Lwin. It was given to me by Ma Thida.
The book consist of articles about and by four eminent lady Burmese writers and activists: Ludu Daw Ah Mar, Daw Khin Myo Chit, Daw Aung San Su Kyi and my “daughter writer” Ma Thida (San Gyaung).
Please do not say that I am biased towards my daughter but I read the articles on Daw Ah Mar, Daw Khin Myo Chit and Daw Sung Dan Su Kyi once only but read and reread the articles by and on Ma Thida about three times or more.
Coming from a family whose members were at different times and at different lengths of incarceration by the military government, each article about Ma Thida in prison brought back sad memories of my own family. I had to pause even in the middle of each article as such memories flooded my mind.
From a very young age Ma Thida stand out among her contemporaries . A multifaceted person with deep attitudes and understanding of right and wrong, justice and injustice, tears welled up in my eyes reading what she went through in prison, and had to stop reading after going through some incidents described by her in the book.
I am happy and very proud that she can be what she is now, an activist, feminist, author and running PEN Myanmar and many more.
This book must be read in Burmese as in any other language, much would be lost in translation.
P.S. Although she left the book for me in May, due to circumstances, I happily received the book only last month.
I wrote an article on the Burmese Calendar for the BAPS Newsletter.
Months
January
First month of Gregorian Calendar
Named after Janus, two-faced God (symbolic to bid farewell to the old year and usher in the new year)
Jan 1 : New Year’s Day
Jan 4 : Independence Day in Myanmar
Martin Luther King’s Day in US
Sometimes : Lunar New Year
February
Second month of the Gregorian Calendar
Has 28 days in a Common Year and 29 days in a Leap Year
My poem for Union Day Supplement in WPD
Burma/Myanmar
February 12 : Pyidaungsu Nay (Union Day) is a public holiday in the Union of Burma. Commemorates the signing of the Pinlong Sar Choke (Panglong Agreement) on February 12, 1947.
February 13 : Bogyoke Aung San was born on February 13, 1915. Named Htain Lin. Changed the name to rhyme with that of Aung Than (elder brother). Centennial celebrations for Bogyoke were held in 2015. Feb 13 is also as Khalay Myar Nay (Children’s Day).
Tabodwe Festival (Occasional)
The Full Moon of Tabodwe often falls in February. Two celebrations are held.
Htamane Pwe (Sticky Rice Festival)
Ovada Partimauk Day (Exhortation)
USA
February 14 : Valentine’s Day is not a public holiday, but many people send greeting cards and presents.
Presidents’ Day : In the early days, there were two holidays. One to celebrate George Washington’s birthday and another to celebrate Abraham Lincoln’s birthday. Later a single holiday in February to honor all US Presidents was proposed. Some states continue to celebrate the birthdays of Washington and Lincoln.
Canada
“Family Day” (holiday) is observed on the 2nd Monday of February in Ontario.
Family Day is observed on the 3rd Monday of February in British Columbia.
LunarNew Year
Some countries (including China and Vietnam) observe the Lunar Year.
Lunar New Year occurs at the end of January or the beginning of February. The date is not fixed in the Gregorian Calendar.
It fell in February in 2018 and 2019.
Days
February is the shortest month in the year with 28 days in a Common Year and 29 days in a Leap Year.
A common year has 365 days, while a Solar year has 365.2422 days.
A year which is not a Century year is a Leap Year if it is divisible by 4. The discrepancy of .9688 days is rounded up to a day.
A year which is a Century year is a Leap Year if it is divisible by 400. This ensures that there are 97 leap years in four centuries.
February had 30 days, but one day each was transferred to July (honoring Julius Caesar) and August (honoring Augustus Caesar) to have 31 days in those months (worthy of Roman Emperors). February was left with 28 days.
Ripley’s “Believe it or not” illustrated a grave stone which had February 30.
March
First month of old Roman Calendar
Third month of Gregorian Calendar
Mar 2 : Peasant’s Day was moved from Jan 1 in order to celebrate the Coup D’eat
Phone Maw Day
Burma’s Human Rights Day (celebrated by Berkeley)
Mar 27 : Resistance Day was renamed as Armed Forces Day
First Day of Spring : Persian New Year
April
Second month of old Roman Calendar
Fourth month of Gregorian Calendar
Thingyan : Three or four days of Water Festival
Myanmar New Year
The deadline for filing taxes in the USA is around mid-April
May
Third month of old Roman Calendar
Fifth month of Gregorian Calendar
May 1 : May Day in some countries
May 5 : Cinco de Mayo
Mother’s Day in the US
June
Fourth month old Roman Calendar
Sixth month of Gregorian Calendar
Jun 6 : D Day
Jun 6 : Ah Loke Thamar Ah Yay Ah Khinn
Father’s Day in the US
July
Fifth month of old Roman calendar; Had 30 days
Renamed July in honor of Emperor Julius Caesar and was given an extra day
Seventh month of Gregorian Calendar; Has 31 days
My beloved father was born on 1st July
Jul 4 : Independence Day in the US
Jul 7 : Students’ protest that was brutally crushed
Jul 8 : Demolition of the Rangoon University Student’s Union
Jul 19 : Arzani Nay
Apollo 11 landed in Tranquility Bay on the Moon in July 1969. Neil Armstrong (Mission Commander) & Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin (Lunar Module Pilot) stepped on the Moon. They set up the US Flag. They collected lunar rock samples. Michael Collins (Command Module Pilot) circled around the Moon and waited for the return of the Lunar Module.
My poem “Men on the Moon” was forwarded by USIS to NASA.
The poem was published in the Guardian Daily.
Dark day in July 1947
Nine Arzanis — seven Ministers, a Secretary and a body guard — were gunned down on July 19, 1947. Eight perished that day. Sao San Htun succumbed a day later.
Bogyoke Aung San
Thakin Mya
Deedoke U Ba Cho
Mahn Ba Khine
Mong Pawn Sawbwa Sao San Htun (passed away in the hospital on July 20, 1947)
U Ba Win
U Razak
ICS U Ohn Maung
Yebaw Maung Htwe
There are books & documentaries on the “unsolved mystery”.
Two dark days in July 1962
According to the newspapers, 17 died on July 7, 1962.
Ko Aung Khin, who was stuck by a stray bullet as he was returning home from Rangoon University Boat Club, was listed as the 17th victim.
The revered Student Union was demolished on July 8, 1962.
The celebration of the 7th July in the following year (1963) ended with the closure of Universities (with the exception of Medical & Engineering).
August
Sixth month of old Roman calendar; Had 30 days
Renamed August in honor of Emperor Augustus Caesar and was given an extra day.
Eighth month of the Gregorian Calendar; Haas 31 days.
8-8-88 : start of a long struggle to restore Democracy in Myanmar
Anniversaries
There are several birthdays in my extended family.
Two sisters, my grand daughter, several cousins and I are August born.
In August 2016, Maurice Chee (M75) organized a birthday soon kwyay for me at the Dhammananda Vihara in Half Moon Bay, California. The sayas and alumni presented me an Appreciation award.
Sayadaw U Silanandabhivamsa passed away on August 13 in 2005.
Three of my in-laws : Father-in-law, Mother-in-law and Brother-in-law passed away in August.
Daw Mu Mu Kin (spouse of Saya Allen Htay (C58)), U Myint Swe (EP74, NorCal RITAA) and U Thein Naing (Patrick, La Phet Yay Waing member) are also August born.
One of them hosts an August-born Birthday Party. In August 2018, Patrick and Mie Mie hosted a lunch gathering for the August born at Moss Beach Distillery. They also presented a book for us.
Is 8 lucky?
8-8-88 (August 8, 1988) and the following days mark the hope and then despair of the people longing for the end of the Adhamma Era.
The event was inspired in part by numerologists who remembered the historic event (about Mingyi Yan Naung) in 888 Burmese Era and extrapolated the magic of No. 8 from three 8’s to four 8’s.
Most Chinese think that the number 8 is lucky. For example, Beijing Olympics was opened on 8-8-08 (August 8, 2008).
September
Seventh month of old calendar. “Sept” means Seven.
Ninth month of Gregorian calendar.
Crushed the hopes of Multi-party Democracy in 1988
Occasionally : End of Burmese Buddhist Lent
October
Eighth month of old calendar. “Oct” means Eight
Tenth month of Gregorian calendar
Occasionally : End of Burmese Buddhist Lent (Thadinkyut)
“Deepavali” or “Diwali” celebrations are celebrated around October. Known as the “Festival of Lights”.
“Halloween” occurs every year on October 31 (the day before “All Saint’s Day”). Celebrated with “Trick or Treat” by children & optional “Halloween Costume Party” by adults.
Due to differences in the calendars, the Bolshevik Revolution is [wrongly] referred to as the “October Revolution”.
Ocktoberfest is a festival held in October.
The Annual Pumpkin Festival with the bragging rights to the “heaviest” Pumpkin is held along Highway 92 in Half Moon Bay in Northern California. The traffic is really bad in the area for most of October. The 7-mile strip takes an hour or more during the Festival period.
Dr. Aung Gyi’s birthday is October 1.
U Ba Than’s birthday is October 2. Sayas, former students & friends are invited to his soon kway. 69ers usually offer Garawa at Sayagyi’s place (Winner Inn).
November
Ninth month of old calendar. “Nov” means nine.
Eleventh month of Gregorian calendar.
Anniversary of my beloved parents
Tazaundaing often fall around November
Kathein robe offering often take place in early November. Must be held during one month following the Full Moon Day of Thadinkyut.
November 1st is “All Saints Day”. Preceded by Halloween (which falls on October 31st).
DST (Daylight Savings Time) requires resetting the clock according to “Spring forward. Fall back.” Currently, DST is set back in Fall (Autumn) on the Sunday following Halloween.
The second Tuesday of November is scheduled for US Elections at the various levels. (a) Presidential Elections occur every four years. (b) Mid-term elections occur every two years. House of Representatives serve two year terms. (c) Senators serve six year terms. To ensure continuity in the Senate, the election of the Senators is staggered into three groups.
Thanksgiving falls on the fourth Thursday of November.
Black Friday and Cyber Monday following Thanksgiving have massive sales. Some companies start their “Black Friday” early in November.
Several English words (e.g. November, Black Friday) have lost their original meaning.
November 11 is celebrated as Veterans Day in the USA.
It is celebrated as Armistice Day in the UK and France.
A hundred years ago, Truce was called between the Allied Forces and Germany. The Truce occurred at 11 AM, marking the event with three 11s.
First World War officially ended a year later with the Versailles Treaty.
Elections in the US (Local races & Resolutions every year, House of Representatives every two years, One third of Senators every two years, President every four years)
Nov 22 : JFK assassinated (Conspiracy Theory survives)
Thanksgiving, Black Friday and Cyber Monday in the US
December
Tenth month of old Calendar. “Dec” means Ten.
Twelfth & last month of Gregorian Calendar
U Thant Ah Yay Ah Khinn : dark day in the history of Burma