Burma / Myanmar: Mahadevi Sao Nang Hearn Kham (1916-2003),'mahadevi' or queen of Yawnghwe State (1927-1952),...

Sao Nang Hearn Kham, Daw Hearn Kham, (b. 26 May 1916 in Hsenwi d. 17 January 2003 in Canada) was the Mahadevi of Yawnghwe one of the most important Shan States. Her husband Sao Shwe Thaik was the 23d and last Saopha of Yawnghwe and became the first President of Burma. She had five children with him. She was born as Hearn Kham on 26 May 1916 in Hsenwi, Northern Shan State, as the daughter of 65th Saopha Hkun Hsang Ton Hong of North Hsenwi. Her brother would be the 66th and last saopha of the state. Together with her husband she participated in the 1946 - 1947 Pang Long Agreement. In post-independence Burma she became a M.P. for the constituency of Hsenwi between 1956 and 1960 and became known for her active role within the parliament. Her husband was arrested in the Burmese coup d'état in March 1962 by the Revolutionary Council headed by General Ne Win and one of her sons, who was 17 at that time, was killed in the military coup, apparently the only casualty on the day of the disturbances. She fled with her family to Thailand in April 1962 and her husband died in prison in November the same year. While in exile she participated in the independence struggle of the Shan State. In 1964 Sao Nang Hearn Kham, together with her son Chao-Tzang Yawnghwe, helped to form the Shan State War Council (SSWC) and the Shan State Army (SSA), becoming Chairwoman of the SSWC. Sao Nang Hearn Kham died on the 17th January 2003 in exile in Canada at the age of 86. Hso Khan Pha, one of her five children took up her cause of fighting for the liberation of the Shan people.