{{Short description|Burmese body builder}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2018}} {{Use Indian English|date=April 2018}} {{family name hatnote|lang=Burmese|Walter Chit Tun}} {{Infobox person | name = Walter Chit Tun | alma_mater = Calcutta University | birth_date = 1898 | birth_place = Moulmein, British Burma | death_cause = Military Escort Accident | death_date = {{death date and age|df=y|1947|11|19|1898}} | education = Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) | known_for = Burma's first bodybuilder | children = Walter Chit Tun, II | occupation = Medical Doctor and Bodybuilder | relatives = | spouse = Barbara Margaret King | native_name = ဝေါ်လတာချစ်ထွန်း | native_name_lang = my | image = walterchittun.jpg }}
'''Walter Chit Tun''' ({{langx|my|ဝေါ်လတာချစ်ထွန်း)}}, Mon: ဝလ်တာ ချေတ်ထောန်) (1898 – 19 November 1947) was a pioneer of body building and weightlifting in Burma (now Myanmar). He was an ethnic Mon and born in Moulmein (present-day Mawlamyine) in British Burma to parents Dr Chit Tun and Daw Thein Ngwe in 1898.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.younginc.la/startups/support-jc-and-your-nextgenleaders/press-releases/origins-define-a-future|title=Origins Define a Future|date=2015-04-06|work=YoungINC.LA|access-date=2017-09-02|archive-date=1 June 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190601092610/http://www.younginc.la/startups/support-jc-and-your-nextgenleaders/press-releases/origins-define-a-future|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|title = Burmese Encyclopedia|year = 1955|volume = II}}</ref> Walter Chit Tun shares the honor of being one of the first 18 Great Myanmars.<ref>{{Cite book|title=First Myanmars|last=Wai|first=Min Yu}}</ref>
== Becoming bodybuilder == Walter Chit Tun studied at Rangoon's St. Paul Convent School and continued to Rangoon University. Because of the threats to his life due to his organizing students to stand up for the people's rights, he went on to India to study where he led a revival in the movement, Muscle Control, while also rallying the students of India to fight for their liberties. He influenced many leaders in India's physical culture.<ref>{{Cite web|url = http://www.davidgentle.com/india/index.html|title = Physical Culture in India|accessdate = 23 March 2015|website = The History of Physical Culture}}</ref> He wrote a document titled, ''Barbell Exercises'',<ref>{{Cite web|url = http://www.davidgentle.com/library/authors/tun.html|title = Dr. Walter Chit Tun - Index by Author|accessdate = 23 March 2015|website = The History of Physical Culture}}</ref> that combined the physical and mental condition of the ideal bodybuilder that became the tenets for Muscle Control. It became a phenomenon in India's physical culture.
== Life as medical doctor == Walter Chit Tun completed studying medicine in Calcutta University and went on to work at Rangoon Mental Hospital (Tadalay). There, he served as Superintendent of Tadalay Hospital. It was his dream to open a private hospital to assist those who were not being aided. However, he died before this dream was ever achieved.
== Life as movie star == Walter Chit Tun was one of the first Burmese movie stars.<ref>{{Cite book|title = Burmese Encyclopedia|year = 1955|volume = II}}</ref> He appeared in the Burmese movie, ''Pan Bai Maung Tint Tai''. However, Walter Chit Tun died in a motorcycle accident on 19 November 1947 after an interview for a Burmese publication. The accident involved military escorts.
He was survived by his wife, a British woman, Barbara Margaret King, and their children, including Walter Chit Tun, II. He is the grandfather of Joshua Chit Tun, a US based movie producer and philanthropist.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm7180485/bio|title=Joshua Chit Tun|website=IMDb|access-date=2017-09-02}}</ref>{{Self-published source|date=February 2019}}
==References==
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Category:1898 births Category:Burmese Mon people Category:1947 deaths Category:Burmese male bodybuilders Category:Burmese psychiatrists Category:Burmese male film actors Category:Burmese male weightlifters Category:University of Calcutta alumni Category:People from Mawlamyine
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