A Happy Unforgettable Day in My Life

Dr Maung Maung Nyo

(Thanbuddhay Cedi, Monywa: A Place of Worship Familiar to Me)

Introduction

Every body has many happy days in his or her life. One of those happy days may be the most remarkable and hence the happiest. I have many happy days in my life and I remember some of those days are very remarkable. But there is a day I feel happiest since it changed my education, nay! my career and life.

A Memorable Day in May

It was a day in May in Monywa. It was terribly hot as there was no rain and the sun was bright and blistering. I was playing with my younger brothers in front of my house. I still remember I was wearing a silk Longyi ( sarong) to keep me cool and my mother was separating chaff from the rice inside the house.

( The Chindwin River on the Western Side of Monywa)

Suddenly, a forty year-old man riding a bicycle suddenly stopped just near me. He was Saya U Ba Yin, my English teacher at the number 1 State High School. He greeted me saying,” Maung Nyo, how are you doing? I have a good news to tell you.”. I greeted him back,” Oh, Saya, Thank you. I’m well. How are you,Sir?” in English as he taught me. He said,” You have been selected as a premedical student and you have to go to Mandalay in June when the schools reopens.”

(Kinwin Mingyi U Kaung, The Last Prime Minister

of Konbaung Dynasty of Kings Mindon and Thibaw:

Hailed from Monywa)

“Oh, Thank you, Saya. I’m very happy to hear that. Any body else, Sir?” “Bo Htwar, Mya Maung, Ba Lin and Tin Aung..You may tell the news to them”. So saying he rode his bicycle again and pushed off to his house situated in the east of our home, about a mile away.

(Mandalay Fort, Moat and Mandalay Hill: Where I Spent My Formative Years)

I stopped playing and entered the house where my mother was busy with her rice and speaking to her younger sister. I said, “Mother, I have a good news to tell you. I have been selected as a premedical student. I must go to Mandalay when the school season starts in June!”. “ Really! It’s good, son. Tell your father when he comes back from the office.” “Yes, Mother.” Then, I changed dress, took my bicycle and rode to the homes of Ba Lin, Mya Maung and Bo Htwar. They all were also very happy too. I could not tell Tin Aung as he lived in Kalewa, a town about 200 miles away in Upper Chindwin reachable by boat only at that time. He just came to Monywa to attend the school as a boarding student.

(Two Majestic Chinthe, Lions, Guarding the Entrance to Mahamuni

Pagoda in Mandalay)

Background to the Good News

It was just after the end of 7^th standard scholarship examination. I sat for it together with 14 students from our class as our school, the Number 1 State High School, was the only high school in Monywa and only our colleagues passed the selection examination held in December of the previous year after the first test in October. Students from other middle schools did not succeed. I stood second in the selection examination and many teachers thought I would be successful in the scholarship examination. I was very good in English, Burmese and Mathematics and Saya U Ba Yin, our class master and English teacher, was very fond of me. So, he came to tell me the good news as soon as he knew it.

(Burmese Premier U Nu with US Secretary of Sate

John Foster Dulles in the 1950s During My Premedical Years)

Actually, I was a very naughty student at first, playing with mates all the time although I studied regularly at night and I attended the classes regularly. Besides, I scored high marks in successive class tests since the kindergarten gaining first place in each class. So , I had double promotions from KG to firrt standard, then to 3^rd standard and then to 5^th standard.

(Professor Drs MMN and NOM in the Convocation Hall,

Rangoon University, Rangoon)

To be exact after passing the 3^rd standard with first position in the class I was transferred from the primary school of U Tha Kyin at North Kadoh Quarter to the No. 1 State High School, the old Buddhist High School of Monywa. My father attended this school as well as writers Thein Pe Myint, O’ Way U Nyo Mya, ICS U Ba Nyein, ICS U Soe Tin etc. It has a good reputation for producing good leaders in education, economics, politics and other professions.

( As An Expert on Medical Education With Rector Professor Myo Thwe

and Anatomists Colleagues: L to R: Prof. Than Than Win, Dr Khin Thet Nyo,

MMN, Myo Thwe, Prof. Nilar Shwe, Prof. Lucy Kyaw Mya))

I was involved in many kinds of activities such as sport, library, writing in wall newspapers, painting etc. Some of my paintings were shown by the school arts committee on independence days. So, my success in the scholarship examination was expected, but to hear the news suddenly was a great thriller!

( My Birthday Dinner in Kuala Lumpur With Friends: Front Two L MMN, R Prof Dan;

Between MMN and Dan L Prof. Hla Yee Yee, R Prof.Nan Ommar; R of Dan, Dr Htin Aung)

How I Studied to Get the Scholarship

During my 6^th standard U Than Aung, minister for education in the U Nu’s AFPFL government, came to our class accompanied by high officials and U Tha Din, our Head Master. As he was an old teacher himself, he asked questions related to our town, school and history of Burma. I ventured to stand up and answered his questions correctly. He said,” You are very smart. What do you expect in the future?” I said,” I look forward to gaining scholarship prizes to pursue my study, Sir.” He replied,” Yes, we’re introducing 7^th standard scholarship from the next year and those who gain it will have the opportunity to go to premedical class in Rangoon and Mandalay to become doctors. You all must try.”

(A Trip to Brisbane, QSLD, Australia with Dr NOM, Yupar Nyo

and Eisabai Nyo)

Since then I studied regularly from 6.30 Pm to 10.30 Pm every day. I reduced my play time and extra-curricular activities. So, my performance improved incessantly. My elder brother accompanied us 5 premedical students from Monywa to Mandalay in June 1953 to join the premedical class at No.1 State High School, Mandalay. I was awarded both the stipend and scholarship prizes for two years until I passed the premedical matriculation examination with distinction in physics. I got the highest marks in the whole of Burma in that examination.

(At UNIMAS i.e. Universiti Malaysia Sarawak: L to R.

Registrar Rashidah, Deputy Dean Hata, Dean Tan Sri Taha, MMN)

Conclusion

I still feel that that day in which I heard the good news from Saya U Ba Yin that I won the premedical scholarship prize was one of the happiest days in my life. It changed my world of education, my career plan and my whole life. I regard it as one of the happiest days in my life and an unforgettable one.

( Brilliant Shwedagon Pagoda at Night)

Dr Maung Maung Nyo

18.01.2009