Than E

Ma Than E Fend (မသန်းအေး, also known by her baptismal name Dora) was a prominent Burmese singer in the early 20th century, known by her stage name Bilat Pyan Than (MY ဘိလပ်ပြန်သန်း).

She was also an international civil servant who spent a long career in the United Nations.

During the Japanese invasion of Burma during the Second World War, E escaped to India to work for the All India Radio's Burmese language service, subsequently spending the rest of her life abroad.

Than E was born in Rangoon, Burma to U Po Mya and Daw Htoo.

Her father worked for a European trading firm and later taught Burmese and Pali at St. Paul's School for Boys (now BEHS No. 6).

He taught Britons who needed a certificate of proficiency in Burmese for government or commercial positions.

Her mother was a teacher at Boys Methodist School.

Than E attended English Methodist Girls School (now BEHS No. 1 Dagon).

When Than E was 13, her father suffered a stroke from stress and strain of unsuccessfully prospecting for tin and wolfram minerals in the malaria infested Tenasserim Division (now Taninthayi Region).

He was bedridden for nearly two years before he his death.

Daw Htoo struggled under much hardship as a single mother to bring up her three children: Dora Than E and her brothers, Tommy Thaung Tin and John Than Tin.

At sixteen, Than E entered the Baptist-affiliated Judson College within the Rangoon University (now Yangon University) majoring in English Literature, Indian History and Philosophy.

Than E sang in the Judson Church choir and also joined the Glee Club, at the Judson College.

The governing body of the university launched an ambitious fundraising event to raise funds for the new university buildings.

Joseph Haydn's oratorio "The Creation" was selected for a fundraising performance at the great Jubilee Hall.

All the church choirs in Rangoon and vicinity were recruited and the Rangoon Orchestral Society played the accompaniment.

Than E was chosen to sing the duet with Hall.

She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree at the age of 20.

In 1931, Burma was still a province of India according to the British Rule in Burma.

The officer told Than E that Gerald Kelly wanted a suitable Burmese model.

The portrait painted by Gerald Kelly was titled "Sao Ohn Kya" and was reproduced in prints and sold.

When Than E returned from England, the Great Depression that originated in the United States had spread to Burma.

Many Burmese landowners lost their farms to foreign creditors and, moreover, European plantations and mining operations were closed down.

There was civil and racial unrest.

As a result, no government jobs were available.

However, Than E found a teaching job at ABM Karen School, a school run by the American Baptist Mission in Henzada (now Hinthada).

She taught English to secondary and high school students.

The next year, she got a teaching job at the Teachers' Training College of the Rangoon University (now Yangon Institute of Education).

Her job was to teach English to those training to become teachers to get the Rangoon University Diploma of Teaching.

Than E also taught English to pupils in classes at the attached TTC Practicing School.

After the death of her mother, Than E stayed in the Cushing compound in Ahlon Township with her elder brother Tommy Thaung Tin and his wife Aye Nu and younger brother John Than Tin.

One day, Tommy Thaung Tin came with a proposal that she sing a Burmese song for a recording to be made by his good friend, Nyi Pu of the A-One Motion Picture Company.

Tommy was very persistent, so Than E agreed, practiced the song, and recorded it.

The contract was that Than E would record a certain number of songs a year and would be paid a lump sum.

There would be no royalties on the sales of the records.

She agreed to the terms and recorded a large number of songs written by Shwe Daing Nyunt.

Than E used the stage name Bilat Pyan Than or "Than who returned from England."

After her graduation from the Judson College, Than E taught English to 9th and 10th standard students at Cushing High School in Rangoon.

After two years of teaching she applied for a state scholarship and was selected to go to the Institute of Education at University College London.

One day, Than E got a call from the Education Officer in charge of foreign students at the India House.