Inge Sargent (born Inge Eberhard; 23 February 1932 – 5 February 2023), also known as Sao Nang Thu Sandi (Burmese: စဝ်သုစန္ဒီ), was an Austrian and American author and human rights activist who was the last Mahadevi of Hsipaw from 1953 until 1962.
Sao Kya Seng and Inge Eberhard (Sao Nang Thu Sandi) with their two daughters
Eberhard was born on 23 February 1932, in Bad Sankt Leonhard, Austria. When she was six years old, the Nazis annexed her homeland, and her mother was arrested by them on three occasions.[1][2]
At a party for international students, Eberhard met Sao Kya Seng, an engineering student from Burma who attended the Colorado School of Mines. The couple married on 7 March 1953 at the home of a friend in Colorado. Following his graduation, the couple moved to Burma. Hundreds of people had gathered at the port of Rangoon to welcome the couple. It was then that her husband revealed that he was the prince of Hsipaw and that she was the mahadevi (consort).[1][2][3][4]
She learned to speak Shan and Burmese, and worked to improve life in Hsipaw. She became involved in charitable projects such as establishing birthing clinics, teaching villagers better nutrition, and starting a trilingual school. After nine years as rulers of Hsipaw, the couple had two daughters, Sao Mayari and Sao Kennari. The couple's altruistic efforts quickly made them two of Southeast Asia's best-loved rulers.[1][2]
In 1962, the Burmese army staged a coup under the leadership of General Ne Win. Sao Kya Seng was arrested and imprisoned, and she and her two daughters were put under house arrest for two years on suspicion of her being a CIA spy. During these years, she worked tirelessly to discover what happened to her husband, eventually learning that he had been killed in prison. She fled with her daughters to Austria with the help of an Austrian embassy official.[1][2]
Later life
After living with her parents for two years, she decided to return to Colorado and she became a high-school German teacher at Centennial Junior High School and Fairview High School in Boulder. She retired from her teaching career in 1993.[1][2][5]
In 1968, Eberhard met and married her second husband Howard "Tad" Sargent,[6] who encouraged her to write her biography. Her memoir Twilight over Burma was published in 1994. All profits from her book are donated to Burmese refugees living near the borders of Myanmar. She says writing it was a cathartic experience: "Before I wrote the book I used to have nightmares of running with my two little girls while bullets flew past us. But since finishing the book, the nightmares have ended."[7] A film adaptation of the book, Twilight Over Burma, was created in 2015 and starred Maria Ehrich as Eberhard.[8][9] The film was banned in Myanmar.[10]
In 1995, Eberhard and her husband established the Burma Lifeline Foundation, a charity that aimed to raise funds to help those fleeing the military regime in Burma. In 2000, she was awarded the International Human Rights Award for her continued support for ethnic minorities and for the founding of the Burma Lifeline Foundation.[7][11] She appeared in the movie The Last Mahadevi in 2000.[12]
Sargent died at her home in Boulder, Colorado, on 5 February 2023, at the age of 90.[9]
Books
1992: The Prince of Hsipaw: A True Story of Burma (ISBN9781870838610)
1994: Twilight Over Burma: My Life as a Shan Princess (ISBN9780824816285)
^"Former Saopha of Shan State Revisited in New Film". The Irrawaddy. 22 December 2015.
^ abLintner, Bertil (7 February 2023). "Austrian-Born Shan Princess Inge Eberhard Dies". The Irrawaddy. from the original on 7 February 2023.
^"Twilight Over Burma: Myanmar censors pull film from festival". BBC News. 15 June 2016.
^"International Human Rights Award". UNA-USA Boulder County Chapter. Retrieved 18 September 2017.
^ ab"The Last Mahadevi Film". Holly Wood. Retrieved 18 September 2017.
February 12, 2023
inge, sargent, born, inge, eberhard, february, 1932, february, 2023, also, known, nang, sandi, burmese, စဝ, စန, austrian, american, author, human, rights, activist, last, mahadevi, hsipaw, from, 1953, until, 1962, mahadevi, nang, sandic, 1954queen, consort, hs. Inge Sargent born Inge Eberhard 23 February 1932 5 February 2023 also known as Sao Nang Thu Sandi Burmese စဝ သ စန ဒ was an Austrian and American author and human rights activist who was the last Mahadevi of Hsipaw from 1953 until 1962 Mahadevi Sao Nang Thu Sandic 1954Queen consort of HsipawReign7 March 1953 2 March 1962SuccessorPosition abolishedBornInge Eberhard 1932 02 23 23 February 1932Bad Sankt Leonhard AustriaDied5 February 2023 2023 02 05 aged 90 Boulder Colorado U S SpouseSao Kya Seng m 1953 disappeared 1962 wbr Howard Tad Sargent m 1968 died 2022 wbr IssueSao MayariSao KennariDynastyHsipaw StateReligionTheravada BuddhismOccupationAuthor Human Rights Activist Social Activist Contents 1 Early life 2 Queen consort 3 Later life 4 Books 5 Films 6 ReferencesEarly life Edit Sao Kya Seng and Inge Eberhard Sao Nang Thu Sandi with their two daughters Eberhard was born on 23 February 1932 in Bad Sankt Leonhard Austria When she was six years old the Nazis annexed her homeland and her mother was arrested by them on three occasions 1 2 Following World War II Eberhard decided to study in the United States In 1951 she received one of the first Austrian Fulbright Scholarships and enrolled at Colorado Women s College 1 2 Queen consort EditAt a party for international students Eberhard met Sao Kya Seng an engineering student from Burma who attended the Colorado School of Mines The couple married on 7 March 1953 at the home of a friend in Colorado Following his graduation the couple moved to Burma Hundreds of people had gathered at the port of Rangoon to welcome the couple It was then that her husband revealed that he was the prince of Hsipaw and that she was the mahadevi consort 1 2 3 4 Sao Kya Seng and Mahadevi Sao Nang Thu Sandi She learned to speak Shan and Burmese and worked to improve life in Hsipaw She became involved in charitable projects such as establishing birthing clinics teaching villagers better nutrition and starting a trilingual school After nine years as rulers of Hsipaw the couple had two daughters Sao Mayari and Sao Kennari The couple s altruistic efforts quickly made them two of Southeast Asia s best loved rulers 1 2 In 1962 the Burmese army staged a coup under the leadership of General Ne Win Sao Kya Seng was arrested and imprisoned and she and her two daughters were put under house arrest for two years on suspicion of her being a CIA spy During these years she worked tirelessly to discover what happened to her husband eventually learning that he had been killed in prison She fled with her daughters to Austria with the help of an Austrian embassy official 1 2 Later life EditAfter living with her parents for two years she decided to return to Colorado and she became a high school German teacher at Centennial Junior High School and Fairview High School in Boulder She retired from her teaching career in 1993 1 2 5 In 1968 Eberhard met and married her second husband Howard Tad Sargent 6 who encouraged her to write her biography Her memoir Twilight over Burma was published in 1994 All profits from her book are donated to Burmese refugees living near the borders of Myanmar She says writing it was a cathartic experience Before I wrote the book I used to have nightmares of running with my two little girls while bullets flew past us But since finishing the book the nightmares have ended 7 A film adaptation of the book Twilight Over Burma was created in 2015 and starred Maria Ehrich as Eberhard 8 9 The film was banned in Myanmar 10 In 1995 Eberhard and her husband established the Burma Lifeline Foundation a charity that aimed to raise funds to help those fleeing the military regime in Burma In 2000 she was awarded the International Human Rights Award for her continued support for ethnic minorities and for the founding of the Burma Lifeline Foundation 7 11 She appeared in the movie The Last Mahadevi in 2000 12 Sargent died at her home in Boulder Colorado on 5 February 2023 at the age of 90 9 Books Edit1992 The Prince of Hsipaw A True Story of Burma ISBN 9781870838610 1994 Twilight Over Burma My Life as a Shan Princess ISBN 9780824816285 Films EditThe Last Mahadevi 2000 12 References Edit a b c d e f INGE SARGENT BURMA S AUSTRIAN PRINCESS InsideAsia Tours 23 June 2016 Archived from the original on 18 September 2017 Retrieved 18 September 2017 a b c d e f Plotzlich Prinzessin oeamtc in German 15 March 2016 Retrieved 18 September 2017 The last prince of Hsipaw Frontier Myanmar 25 April 2016 Retrieved 18 September 2017 Former Prince of Hsipaw Honored in Colorado Burmese News International 9 October 2015 Retrieved 18 September 2017 Interview with Inge Sargent burgenland orf at in German 22 October 2015 Retrieved 18 September 2017 Howard Sargent Obituary Daily Camera 19 June 2022 Retrieved 8 February 2023 via legacy com a b Beck Jennifer 3 January 2019 Inge Sargent The My Hero Project Former Saopha of Shan State Revisited in New Film The Irrawaddy 22 December 2015 a b Lintner Bertil 7 February 2023 Austrian Born Shan Princess Inge Eberhard Dies The Irrawaddy Archived from the original on 7 February 2023 Twilight Over Burma Myanmar censors pull film from festival BBC News 15 June 2016 International Human Rights Award UNA USA Boulder County Chapter Retrieved 18 September 2017 a b The Last Mahadevi Film Holly Wood Retrieved 18 September 2017 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Inge Sargent amp oldid 1138887862, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
