born Jan. 22, 1909, Pantanaw, Burma
died Nov. 25, 1974, New York, N.Y., U.S.
Third secretary-general of the United Nations (196171), the first Asian to hold the post.
He entered the University of Yangôn, but the death of his father forced him to discontinue his education before he was able to graduate. He taught high school before entering government service. Posted to the UN in 1952, he became Burma's UN ambassador in 1957. In 1961 he became acting secretary-general after the death of Dag Hammarskjöld ; he became permanent secretary-general in 1962. While secretary-general, he played a diplomatic role in the Cuban missile crisis , devised a plan to end the Congolese civil war (1962), and sent peacekeeping forces to Cyprus (1964).