(U Ba Gyan)

Ahlinga Kyawswa Cartoon expert U Ba Gyan is one of the most popular caricatures in Myanmar cartoon. Although he died three or four years before the Second World War, he is still the most popular and the most famous cartoonist. So, he was appreciably called the cartoon expert.

Cartoonist U Ba Gyan was born in 1902 at Nyaung Don. He studied till Intermediate class at Yangon College in 1924. His first cartoon came out in the University Magazine in 1926. Then, he became a caricature and drew in several journals. Among them, U Phauk Seit cartoon in Thuriya newspaper and Zayakati cartoon in post war Hanthawady newspaper were most popular and people were so fond of them.

U Ba Gyan was always jovial and enjoy talking funny topics. Likewise, his cartoons were also very comedic. His cartoons always make people laugh. Beside his cartoons, not only did he draw Magazine covers and water colour paintings, but also wrote novels with the author name of Thonnya which means zero.

He also drew and made Kyetaungwa cartoon film in 1934 and Athuya cartoon film in 1935 jointly with cartoonist U Hein Son. The cartoon of U Ba Gyan were very artistic and skillful and was recorded in Myanmar History. The cartoonist U Ba Gyan passed away in 1935 and in his honour, Ahlinga Kyawswa title was awarded to him by the State.