Dr. Thaw Kaung Collection
Brief Biography
| 1937 | Born on 17 Dec. 1937 in Yangon (Rangoon), Myanmar (Burma). Eldest son of Sithu UKaung, Director of Education and first Chairman of the Burma Historical Commission, and Daw Thane ( B.A. Judson College, Rangoon University). |
| 1947-50 | In London with father SithuU Kaung and family. U Kaung was Special Education Officer in U.K. for the Interim Burmese government led by Bogyoke Aung San, established the Burmese Embassy in London and from Jan. 1948 became Counsellor for Education at the Embassy. The first bank notes issued in Burma after Independence bore his signature. |
| 1954 | Matriculated from the Methodist English High School (now Dagon High School no.1) Yangon, in 1st Division with distinctions in English and Geography. |
| 1954-59 | Studied at Rangoon (Yangon) University, English, Burmese (Myanmar), History, Geography and Anthropology. |
| 1959 | Obtained B.A. Honours (First Class in English) from Rangoon University. Joined the University of Rangoon Library as Deputy to the University Librarian (1959-69) U Thein Han (SayaZawGyi). |
| 1960-61 | Studied Librarianship at University College, University of London, taking a special course on Oriental Bibliography at the School of Oriental and African Studies of the same University. |
| 1962 | Obtained the Postgraduate Diploma in Librarianship from University of London. Elected as a Chartered Librarian and as an Associate of the Library Association (ALA), UK. |
| 1964 | Worked closely with the Education Ministry to draw up plans to establish the Universities Central Library, under the guidance of U Thein Han. |
| 1964 | Married DawKhin Than, Chief Accountant, Ministry of Industry, Foodstuffs Corporation (Cigarette).(3) sons: Min Thaw Kaung (b. 1966), Thant Thaw Kaung (b.1969), Myat Thaw Kaung (b.1974). |
| 1965-80 | Honorary Librarian and Publisher of the Burma Research Society, printing old Myanmar texts mainly from palm-leaf and parabike manuscripts. B.R.S. Headquarters were in the University Library. |
| 1966-84 | Secretary, Editorial and Management Board of the Universities Academic Journal, TetkathoePyin-nyaPadethaSarsaung, with Deputy Minister for Education, Dr. NyiNyi as Chairman. |
| 1968-76 | Spectrum, monthly magazine, published by the Directorate of Information. Member of the Board of Appraisal for Selection of Material. |
| 1969-97 | Chief Librarian, Universities Central Library. Established a Special Section for Palm-leaf and paper Parabike Manuscripts, collecting over 16,000 bundles. |
| 1971-97 | Established Department of Library Studies and appointed Part-time Professor and Head of Department, University of Yangon (at the time known as Rangoon Arts and Science University). Lectured on Cataloguing. |
| 1971-76 | Secretary, Myanmar Language Commission. First Chairman of Committee to compile Myanmar-English Dictionary(1980). |
| 1976 | Certificate in Teaching Library Studies, Western Australian Institute of Technology (later Curtin University). Became an Associate of the Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA). |
| 1980 | Leader of first Myanmar Library Delegation to Japan. |
| 1984-85 | Consultant to the British Library, Oriental and India Office Collections. |
| 1984 | Elected Honorary Fellow of the Library Association (FLA) of U.K. for outstanding service to librarianship which included the establishment of the Department of Library Studies at University of Rangoon, and Rare Manuscripts Section at the Universities’ Central Library. |
| 1984 (July) to 2014 (Apr) | Member of the Management Board of the monthly Basic Education magazine, PyinnyaTasaung. |
| 1985 | Leader of Delegation of University Librarians to Australia and Singapore. |
| 1985 | Awarded the Medal for Prevalence of Law & Order by the Myanmar Government. |
| 1988 Sept to Oct. | Leader of Library Academic Delegation to UK (two weeks) and USA(four weeks). |
| 1989 | Awarded the Medal for Contribution to State Peace & Tranquility by the Myanmar Government. |
| 1989-90 | Visiting Librarian, Institute of Southeast Asian Studies, Singapore. |
| 1990 | Awarded the Public Good Service Medal by the Myanmar Government. |
| 1991-92 | Leverhulme Fellow, British Library, UK. Compiled Bibliography of Early Printed Books of Burma, to 1885. (Unpublished). |
| 1992 to present | Founder and Patron of the Myanmar Library Association (MLA). |
| 1993 to present | Elected Corresponding Member of the Siam Society, Bangkok. |
| 1993 to present | Vice-Chairman, Myanmar National Literary Awards Selection Committee.Later Chairman from 2012. |
| 1995 | Secretary, Committee of Yangon University History and Commemorative Publications for the Diamond Jubilee of the Yangon University (1920-1995). |
| 1995 to 2012 | Member, Pakkoku U OhnPe Literary Awards Selection Committee. |
| 1997 (Dec. 17) | Retired from Universities’ Central Library at compulsory retirement age of 60. Retired also as Head of the Department of Library and Information Studies, University of Yangon, but continued teaching. |
| 1998 (Jan) to present | Member, Myanmar Historical Commission, Ministry of Education. In 2008the Commission was transferred to the Ministry of Culture. (From 2009 Part-time Member). |
| 1998 to present | Vice-Chairman, National Commission for Preservation of Traditional Manuscripts. |
| 1998 to 2007 | Part-time Professor, Department of Library and Information Studies, University of Yangon. |
| 1998 | Founded the Mingala-byuhaParahita Association to help the poor and disabled together with prominent Myanmar writers Paragu and Min Yu Wai; served as Vice-President and later as Patron of this Association. |
| 1996 to 2004 | Member of the Editorial Board of the Myanmar Perspectives, English language magazine (monthly on the Internet, and quarterly printed version). |
| 1999 | Harold White Fellow at the National Library of Australia. Awarded Doctor of Letters (D. Litt.) Honoris Causa, by the University of Western Sydney, Australia. |
| 2000 | Appointed Executive Committee Member of CONSAL (Congress of Southeast Asian Librarians). |
| 2001 | Elected National Coordinator for SEACAP (Southeast Asian Consortium for Access and Preservation) of rare manuscripts. |
| 2001 | Patron of the Biodiversity and Nature Conservation Association (BANCA) |
| 2001 | Founded “U Thaw Kaung Prize” awarded each year to the most outstanding student from the M.A. Course in Library and Information Studies, University of Yangon. |
| 2002 to present | Member Sayawun Tin Shwe Literary Awards Selection Committee. |
| 2002 | Visiting Professor, National Museum of Ethnology, Osaka, Japan. |
| 2003 | Chairman of Myanmar Reference Books Compilation Committee of SarpayBeikman from 2003 after being a member of this Committee since 1985. Headed the Compilation and publication of the annual Myanmar Encyclopaedia Yearbook. |
| 2004 | Independence Day Honours; received Outstanding Award in Arts (2nd Grade) by Myanmar Government. |
| 2004 | Lecture Tour of USA. Keynote Address at Burma Studies Conference and Panel in Memory of May Kyi Win, University of Northern Illinois, Dekalb. |
| 2005 Jan. | Member of Main Committee headed by the Minister for Education for celebrating the Golden Jubilee of the Myanmar Historical Commission (1955-2005).Secretary to the Editorial Board headed by Dr. Than Tun, formed to publish about 50 special monographs and Commemorative Essays in Myanmar and English for MHC Golden Jubilee.Member of Publications Committee and also Committee for holding aspecial commemorative International Conference (Jan.12-14) for MHC Golden Jubilee. |
| 2005 Feb. | Became a delegate to the National Convention as a Member of theIntelligentsias and Technicians Group. |
| 2005 (Aug/Sep) | Awarded the Academic Prize for 2005, by the 16th Fukuoka Asian Cultural Prizes Committee of Fukuoka, Japan, and became the first librarian to receive this prestigious Fukuoka Asian Cultural Prize.Celebrations held at the International Business Centre in Yangon on 2nd August and at Fukuoka on 15thSeptember 2005. Gave a Public Forum on “Unearthed Story of Myanmar History: Preserve Palm-leaves in Digital Format” on 17th September at ACROS Fukuoka Event Hall. |
| 2005 | Founded “U Thaw Kaung Prize” awarded each year to the most outstanding student from the M.A. Course in Library and Information Studies, Eastern Yangon University. |
| 2006 to present | Appointed Member of the nearly established ThutaSwei-zon Literary Prize funded by Dr. Tin TunOo. Later became Chairman of the Selection Committee. |
| 2006 to present | Appointed Member of the Tun Foundation Literary Prize funded by the Selection Committee. Later selected as Chairman. |
| 2006 Feb. | Appointed Chairman of the Editorial Board for Myanmar Historical Commission Publication Committee (to succeed Dr. Than Tun who passed away on 30 Nov. 2005) |
| 2007 to present | Appointed Member of the Academic Advisory Council of the newly re-established Nalanda International University, India, by the Foreign AffairsMinistry of India. |
| 2008 | Awarded Life Achievement Literary Award by thePakokku U OhnPe Literary Awards Selection Committee. |
| 2009 | Won the Reference (English) book literary prize of the TunFoundation Literary Awards, for his book From the Librarian’s Window. |
| 2010 to 2012 | Appointed a member of the Advisory Board of Asian Festival of Children’s Content, Singapore. In 2013 replaced by his son Dr. Thant Thaw Kaung. |
| 2011 | Awarded the Lifetime Achievement in Literature prestigious prize by the National Literary Awards Selection Committee. |
| 2011 | Won the Tun Foundation Literary Prize for his book Aspects of Myanmar History and Culture (published by the Myanmar Knowledge Society, 2010). |
| 2012 (Jan. 4) | Awarded the Sithu title by the Myanmar President: for Independence Day Honours. (Sithu Order of Honours for Life-Time Service to the Nation and People). |
Residence: 52A Than Lwin Road, Bahan, University PO 11041, Yangon, Myanmar
Tel. 95-1-526529 Email: [email protected]
Collection
1. Aspects of Myanmar History and Culture. Yangon: Lawka Ahlinn, 2010.
Contents:
I. Myanmar History
(1) Ayedawbon Kyan, an Important Myanmar Literary Genre Recording Historical Events
1-Ayedawbon-Kyan
(2) Two Compilers of Myanmar History and their Chronicles
2-Two-Compilers-of-Myanmar-History-their-Chronicles
(3) Letwe Nawrahta (1723-1791), Recorder of Myanmar History
3-Letwe-Nawrahta
(4) Accounts of King Bayinnaung’s Life and Hanthawaddy Hsinbyumya-shin Ayedawbon, a Record of his Campaigns
4-Accounts-of-King-Bayinnaung
(5) Bayinnaung in the Hanthawaddy Hsinbyumya-shin Ayedawbon Chronicle
5-Bayinnaung-in-the-Hanthawadi-Shinbyumya-Shin-Ayedawbon-chronicle
(6) Palm-leaf Manuscript Record of a Mission Sent by the Myanmar King to the Chinese Emperor in mid-18th Century
6-Palm-leaf-manuscript-record-of-a-Mission
(7) Preliminary Survey of Penang-Myanmar Relations for mid-19th to mid-20th centuries
II. Myanmar Culture
(8) The Ramayana Drama in Myanmar
8-The-Ramayana-Drama-in-Myanmar
(9) Ramayana in Myanmar Literature and Performing Arts
9-Ramayana-in-Myanmar-Literature-and-Performing-Arts
(10) In Search of Rama: a Visit to Tha-khyut-ta-ni
10-In-search-of-Rama-a-visit-to-Tha-khut-ta-nai
(11) Myanmar Dramatic Literature, its Rise and Decline
11-Myanmar-Dramatic-Literature
(12) Myanmar Historic Earthernware
12-Myanmar-Historic-Earthenware
(13) Lagunbyee Old Town and the Discovery of the First Ceramic Kiln
13-Lagunbyee
(14) The Mahamuni