A Day to Remember!
Dr Maung Maung Nyo
I still remember the day I sat for my viva
It was hot, humid and hectic than ever
As I had to face the professors as my examiners
It was the day I defended my thesis as a researcher.
(University of London Crest or Logo)
The examination was to take place in Professor’s room
I thought I had not read enough and it arrived too soon
I had worked on my subject day and night over three years
Professor Bowden said it was more than enough to be clear.
(University of London Senate House)
I bounded the thesis just three days ago
Professor Bowden congratulated me for its glow
I had to masquerade the help of Burmese fellows
They helped me in arranging the pages in serial flow.
(London House Where Copies of My Thesis Were Made Ready to be
Bound Overnight)
Nyunt Hlaing,Tin Htay and Min Maw helped me with chores
I finished assembling six copies of my thesis overnight in one go
I feted them with late night supper as a kind of celebration
I would be a Ph.D. if all went well at the oral examination.
( Dr Maung Maung Nyo (MMN) in Ph.D. London Gown)
So I was excited and restless in the morning of that day
I took shower, breakfast and dressed hastily in disarray
But friends said I dressed in three piece suit looked great
Professor’s smile encouraged me to feel so to face my fate.
(Royal Free Hospital School of Medicine (RFHSM), No. 8 Hunter Street,
London WC 1, England Where I learned and Earned for My Ph.D.)
At 9.00 am I was ushered in to the Professor’s Office
Professor Bowden smiled and introduced me in brief
Professor J.T. Aitken of
He said he had read my thesis and found it to be a good brand.
%5B1%5D.jpg)
(University College, London, Now Joined with the RFHSM to form
the New Medical School)
He then said I had cited so many references in hundreds
He liked to see them how I kept them in harness
I took him to my room and showed him how I kept
He was amazed and congratulated me it was an asset.
He then asked me from the page 1 to page 150
I answered them clearly and concisely and coolly
He was amazed by my grasp of my subject on my finger tips
Professor Bowden smiled broadly satisfied with my scholarship.
“OK, I have no more questions,” Professor Aitken declared
It took nearly three hours to answer his questions so far
Professor Bowden said,” You are excused and wait for the result”
I left her room and took off my jacket and waist coat as hot stuffs.
Then, Professor Bowden called me back again in ten minutes
Professor Aitken smiled and shook my hand again he pleased
He said to me, ”Congratulations! You have passed Ph.D. examination”
Professor Bowden then asked me to join them at luncheon as celebration.
We took lunch in the medical school cafeteria
A big table was reserved for three of us together
Tomato soup beef steak and steamed vegetables served
Coffee and chocolate cake made the desirable dessert.
(MMN With Professor Ruth Bowden on Right Who was His
Supervisor, Colleague, Mentor and Mother in London)
Professor Aitken praised me on my hard work
He asked whether I liked to continue staying there
Professor Bowden said she did not think I want such
I also said so I was going back to my country
In the evening Professor Bowden invited me to dinner
She said my result had been confirmed I as the winner
She would send her Rolls Royce to fetch me from London House
I thus had to take shower and dress properly to be on the look out.
(A Rolls Royce Handmade for the Customer That Like the One
Professor Bowden Owned, but Used to Ferry Others Like Us)
The Rolls Royce took me to her residence
There Professor was waiting with a friend
She introduced me as Mary her classmate
She was a warm friendly pathologist of top grade.
( The Royal Society of Medicine in London, at Night)
The Rolls Royce then took us to the Royal Society of Medicine
We three were all the Fellows of the Society genuine and clean
I was made a fellow by Bowden to read journals and magazines
She took us to the top floor where there was a first class cuisine.
(The Royal Society of Medicine, No. 1 Wimpole Street, London
in the Day Time)
Professor Bowden offered us wines and whisky
She drank wine and spoke a lot as she was happy
She told her friend that I was a model Ph.D. student
She was glad I had fulfilled fully all my requirements.
(Interior of the Royal Society of Medicine)
Dr Mary drank Whisky
She was also a bit giddy
They asked me to drink Sherry
In no time I was merry too.
(The Royal Society of Medicine Library)
We had a good menu
Prawns, lobsters and beef too
We ate until our stomachs were full
We ate and talked until midnight cool.
Professor Bowden told me my result had been approved
The date of declaration for my Ph.D. was good
It was 21st July 1969 as we made the viva through
I said it’s my date of birth in Roman calendar too.
(A Photocopy of the Ph.D. Degree Scroll of the University of London)
Yes, I was exactly thirty years of age to be a Ph.D.
I was so happy to be coincidental in my biography
That I could serve my country well while young
I was determined nothing would deter me in this errand.
( MMN in Black Jacket in the Centre of Front Row as Head of Department
of Anatomy at Institute of Medicine 2, Yangon, 1970)
So, I have served my country since young
I was a medical graduate at age twenty one
I was a Ph. D. at age thirty years and served then
I have served my country for a total of thirty seven!
(The Symbol of Higher Education in Burma, Convocation Hall of
the University of Rangoon, Where MMN Graduated in 1961, Served
Burma from 1961 to 1998 in Various Capacities as From Medical
Doctor Through Writer Editor Researcher to Professor)
(Prof. MMN Trained Other Scientists for B.Sc.(Anatomy),
M.Sc. and Ph.D. Degrees in Burma)
Who else I would serve rather than my country men?
I’m fortunate to be born and brought up in
I worship Buddha, Dharma and Sangha every day
I thank my parents and teachers as benefactors always
I never forget Professor Bowden gave me on that day
It was 21st July 1969 in my memory it says and stays!
(Logo or Seal of the University of Rangoon)
Dr Maung Maung Nyo
10.03.2009 (original)
No comments:
Post a Comment