U Po Kya (Burmese: ဖိုးကျား, pronounced [pʰó tɕá]; also spelled Pho Kyar; 23 March 1891 – 11 April 1942) is considered one of the top Burmese authors and education reformists in 20th century Myanmar.
He is regarded as the father of Burmese short stories, a key member of the Nationalist Education movement of the 1930s and also a literary genius.
Po Kya was born to Daw Daung and U Pe in Neibban Village, Hinthada district on the Irrawaddy delta in 1891.
Educated at Lawka-dat Monastery in Neibban Village and Lay Htet Kyaung, Po Kya also served as a teaching assistant while pursuing his education in the monasteries.
[citation needed] Po Kya died of malaria on 11 April 1942 while fleeing the Japanese invasion during the Second World War at Htantabin in today's Yangon Region.