U Ban Than	Daw Aye Than
Daw Myint Myint Khin	Daw Win Win Myint

THE first book published by a veteran writer, U Ba Than, has achieved the distinction of becoming the first to win a Myanmar literary award for a publication in English.

U Ba Than, 75, won the award for Myanmar Delights and Attractions, aimed mainly at the tourist market, in the annual Dr Tin Shwe awards.

The awards were launched in honour of the late Dr Tin Shwe in 2001 for two writers of belles-lettres and non-fiction who have not received prizes in the government-sponsored National Literary Awards.

The award for an English-language publication was added to the prizes presented this year, which are for works published in 2003.

“This is the country’s first literary award for a work in English,” said the chairman of the eight-member selection committee, U Myo Thant (Maung Hsu Shin), at a presentation ceremony held at the International Business Centre on Pyay Road on February 11.

“At the suggestion of the committee we added the award for books written in English to help make Myanmar culture more widely known in the world and to achieve sales on the international market,” said Dr Tin Shwe’s widow, Daw Aye Than, who founded the Tin Shwe Printing and Publishing House in 2000.

Daw Aye Than said the awards were launched as a mark of remembrance and respect for her husband, who wrote on health issues and died in 2000, and to encourage writers to produce literature of high quality.

U Ba Than’s work was one of eight considered in the English-language category and 28 were considered for the two other awards, said U Myo Thant (Maung Hsu Shin).

Although the book is the first to be published by U Ba Than, he has written scores of articles in English, as well as articles and poems in both Myanmar and English, for a range of publications.

A winner of a Ministry of Information Sarpay Beikman literary award in 1990 for his translation of a manuscript, U Ba Than is a member of the U Ohn Pe Literary Awards Scrutiny and Selection Committee, the Myanmar Language Reference Compilation Committee and the Myanmar Writers and Journalists Association.

He is also on the editorial staff of the English-language magazine, Myanmar Perspective.

“I greatly appreciate receiving the award and the recognition it provides for the contribution made by writers in English to the literary industry,” he said at the presentation ceremony.

“There are many books on Myanmar culture and traditions and the beauty of our country written by foreign writers according to their perspective, but I wanted to write as a native according to our knowledge and perspective and in an international language,” U Ba Than said of Myanmar Attractions and Delights.

“I put a lot of effort into it,” he said.

The other prize winners were Daw Win Win Myint for Pan Ta Pwint Ye Yin Khon Than (The heart beat of a flower), a biography of veteran actress and singer Daw May Shin, 84, and Dr Myint Myint Khin, for Thet She Kyan Mar Myanma Ah Sar Ah Sa (Healthy Myanmar food).

Daw Win Win Myint has written six books and many of her poems, short stories and articles have been published in magazines.

Dr Myint Myint Khin has written four books and many articles on health issues.
Each award winner receives a prize of K60,000.