Ba Shin

As a Muslim, he served as the Secretary General in the Myanmar Islamic Religious Affairs Council until his death on 7 January 1970, at 5.50 p.m. of heart disease.

Early Myanmar History was the last article he was still writing for the Myanmar History Commission. The last article he finished was Myanmar before Anawrattha, published in sections, in the Pyannar Tazaung magazine from June to November 1968. However, he could not finish the second part of that book, Bagan era Myanmar book.

One of Ba Shin’s best efforts was seen in the article about Bagan Pagoda Lawka Hteit Pan (Rangoon, 1962) which indicated the ancient Burmese civilization. Nai Min Nai had written an article together with A.B. Grisworld about the comments and review in Artibus Asiae volume 33, page 228-233.

U Ba Shin (1962). The Lokahteikpan. Rangoon: Burma Historical Commission, Ministry of Union Culture, Revolutionary Govt., Union of Burma.

In 1957, Ba Shin joined the Burma Historical Commission as a Compiler. He wrote many English and Myanmar research papers in Bulletin of the Burma Historical Commission and many articles about racial and ethnic groups of Myanmar were written for the Myanmar Encyclopaedia. He wrote Lawkatheikpan in English and Myanmar before Anawrahta. One of his duties was to do detailed studies and research about Burmese history from AD 1300-1752.

He was the editor of the article “Essays offered to G.H.Luce by his colleagues and friends in Honour of his Seventy-Fifth Birthday“ in two volumes, Artibus Asiae supplementum XXIII, Ascona, Switzerland, 1956. He wrote the "Buddha Images of Tai Yuan Types Found in Burma" in that publication.

He wrote a Burmese history book for the Army that was published on 4 January 1948, Burma's Independence day. The Education Ministry prescribed that book as a high school textbook. While serving in military, he wrote military, cultural and history articles in Sit Nha Lone (Military Heart) journal and Myawaddy journals. He also wrote articles for children in Kha Lae (Children) journal and Light of Myanmar newspapers. He wrote military articles in Military Education journal. He worked in the Myanmar Army until 1956.

In 1939, he wrote an article about the modernization of Burmese rural villages together with Dr Thar Saing and Dr Andrab.

He wrote a book, Khit Thit Marga (Modern Tha Gyar Min or Sakya) in 1937 about the rebuilding of rural villages.

From 1935-40, he worked under Professor Gordon H Luce at the Rangoon University Eastern and Burmese History Division. He carried out research in China – Myanmar relations of the Middle period and the history of Chinese – Myanmar inscriptions. He was promoted to an Assistant Lecturer in that department in 1940.

U Ba Shin (born in 1914 in Ywarkauk, Pyinmana) is a colonel and noted historian and was a member of The Myanmar History Commission and Islamic Religious Affairs Council.