Ba Maw
| Ba Maw | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Head of State (Naingandaw Adipadi) | |
|
In office 1 August 1943 – 27 March 1945 |
|
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Position abolished |
| 1st Premier of British Crown Colony of Burma | |
|
In office 1937–1939 |
|
| Preceded by | None - direct rule under British Raj of British India |
| Succeeded by | U Pu |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
8 February 1893 Maubin |
| Died | 29 May 1977 (aged 84) Rangoon |
| Spouse(s) | Khin Ma Ma Maw (m. 1926) |
| Religion | Roman Catholicism, later converted to Buddhism |
Ba Maw (Burmese: ဘမော်, pronounced: [ba̰ mɔ̀]; 8 February 1893 – 29 May 1977) was a Burmese political leader, active during the interwar and World War II period.
Ba Maw was born in Maubin. Ba Maw came from a distinguished family of mixed Mon-Burmese parentage which bred many scholars and lawyers. One of his elder brothers, Dr Ba Han (1890–1969), was a lawyer as well as a lexicographer and legal scholar.
In 1924 Ba Maw obtained his initial degree at the University of Calcutta & went on to obtain a doctoral degree from the University of Bordeaux, France. Ba Maw wrote his doctoral thesis in the French language on aspects of Buddhism in Burma.
From the 1920s onwards Ba Maw practiced law and dabbled in colonial-era Burmese politics. He achieved prominence in 1931 when he defended the rebel leader, Saya San. Saya San had started a tax revolt in Burma in December 1930 which quickly grew into a more widespread rebellion against British rule. Saya San was captured, tried, convicted and hanged. Ba Maw was among the top lawyers who defended Saya San. One of the presiding judges that tried Saya San was another Burmese lawyer Ba U.
Starting from the early 1930s Ba Maw became an outspoken advocate for Burmese self-rule. He at first opposed Burma's colonial separation from British India, but later supported it. After a period as education minister, he served as the first Chief Minister, or Premier of Burma (during the British colonial period) from 1937 to February 1939, after first being elected as a member of the Poor Man's Party to the Legislature. He opposed the participation of Great Britain, and by extension Burma, in World War II. He resigned from the Legislature and was arrested for sedition on 6 August 1940. Ba Maw spent over a year in jail as a political prisoner. He was incarcerated for most of the time in Mogok jail, situated in a hill station in eastern Burma.
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