For years he walked alongside Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, a quiet confidant in her campaign for democracy in Myanmar. On Tuesday, with her blessing, Htin Kyaw became the country's president.
A soft-spoken man with a penchant for literature and writing, Htin Kyaw gave up a career in the foreign ministry decades ago to help Suu Kyi, his childhood friend, with her political party as it worked to free Myanmar from military rule. Along the way, he ended up in the junta's prison along with other pro-democracy activists.
But until last week, Htin Kyaw was hardly a household name, and most people in Myanmar — or outside — could have never imagined that he would become the president of the country's first democratically elected government in more than a half-century.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.