F. K. Lehman (February 5, 1924[1][2] – February 10, 2016; born Frederic Kris Lehman; also known by his Burmese name U Chit Hlaing, or sometimes as F. K. L. Chit Hlaing) was an American anthropologist and professor emeritus at University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign.
[3] Widely known as one of the founding fathers of Burma studies in the United States,[4] he taught at the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign from 1952 until his retirement in 2009.
Born into a family of gem merchants, he spent his childhood in Calcutta, India and Lashio, Burma.
He conducted ethnographic research among many ethnic groups of Burma, including the Chin, Mizo (Lushai), Shan, Karen, Kayah, Burmese, Thai, and Yunnanese.
[5] Lehman also played an instrumental role in the founding of the Center for Burma Studies at Northern Illinois University.