Writing a profile on any person is not like writing his or
her biography, nor like writing an history. It's not a factual writing. It's
writing one's personal feeling about him or her. Not all the facts about that
person may be included in it, only a part of all the facts about that person.
But it is the heart-felt impression of a writer about a person he had/ has
contact with. So it's worth more than a mere description in a biography or
history.
I have learned about various persons in the Burmese history and biography books like Anaw-ra-hta, Kyan-sit-tha, Ba-yin-naung etc. I have read
about Bogyoke Aung San in many books, but that touched me most was Dagon Taryar's "Aung San alias The Untamed (Aungsan thoh-ma-hoke Ah-Yaing)." Yes, I was and still am fascinated by Dagon Taryar's "Profiles of Burmese Personalities (Yoke-Pon-Hlwar)". I have read Dr Maung Maung" Profiles" about the political and military leaders of the post-independence Burma. Dagon Taryar's profiles is in Burmese while Dr Maung Maung's work is in English. Incidentally I met Saya Dagon Taryar
personally 20 years after reading his book and we become good friends. I met Dr
maung Maung once at Professor Myint Maung Maung’s office about the same length
of time after reading his book too. I have also read President John F. Kennedy's "Profiles in Courage" about the valiant
personalities of the American congress much later. I am an admirer of J.F.K.
Many writers in Burma have borrowed the profile writing style of Dagon Taryar that is widely praised by most learned writers like Saya Zaw Gyi, Saya Minthuwun and Saya Taik Soe ( Librarian & scholar U Than
Htut) all deceased now. Among the latter days' "Profilists" (if I may
be allowed to use the word) was the late writer & journalist Lin-Yone Maung
Maung, my close friend and of the same native place, Monywa. He wrote about the
Burmese authors like Syagyi Shwe-U-Daunng, Saya Thu-Kha, Yan-Aung, Ludu U Hla,
dagon Taryar, Mya than Tint, Thein Pe Myint, Journal Gyaw Ma Ma Lay etc.
I'm now following the same path first strewn by Dagon
Taryar in writing the profiles about my colleagues: the Burmese/Myanmar
Physician-Writers.
In the United States of America, they call all medical
doctors as physicians, be an internists, a surgeon or an obstetrician and
gynaecologist (ObGyn).
My profiles are written with a view to enjoyment and information for the doctor- readers. Nothing else. I write them with no malice towards none, but charity, love and goodwill for every body.
With Metta (Loving kindness) to all,
Dr Maung Maung Nyo