Sukarno was an Indonesian politician who played a major role in the Indonesian struggle for independence. An important leader of the country's nationalist movement, Sukarno declared Indonesian independence from the Dutch Empire and became Indonesia's first president in 1945. He was successful in resisting Dutch re-colonization efforts and went on to serve as the Indonesian president until 1967.
B. J. Habibie was an Indonesian politician best remembered for his service as the President of Indonesia from 21 May 1998 to 20 October 1999. An important political figure, Habibie also served as the Vice President of Indonesia in 1998. From 1978 to 1998, he served as the Minister of Research and Technology.
Grandson of the founder of the Nahdatul Ulama, Abdurrahman Wahid shunned the orthodox education at his university in Cairo and immersed himself in American movies, football, and Marxism. The former Indonesian president was a Magsaysay Award winner and is remembered for promoting peace, education, and social development.
The 2nd president of Indonesia, Suharto was also the country’s longest-serving president. His dictatorial reign of over 30 years brought about economic and political stability in the country. A military general, he came to power with the fall of Sukarno. He introduced the New Order and also massacred countless leftists.
Megawati Sukarnoputri is an Indonesian politician who became the first female president of the country in 2001. An important political leader, Sukarnoputri also served as the Vice President of Indonesia from 21 October 1999 to 23 July 2001. Megawati Sukarnoputri is the recipient of many prestigious awards, including the Star of the Republic of Indonesia award.
Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is an Indonesian politician best known for his service as the President of Indonesia from 2004 to 2014. An influential politician, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono also served as the Minister of Mining and Energy of Indonesia from 1999 to 2000. He then served as the Coordinating Minister of Politics and Security Affairs of Indonesia on two occasions.
Prabowo Subianto is an Indonesian businessman, politician, and former army lieutenant general. He is the current Minister of Defense and current Leader of the Great Indonesia Movement Party. Over the course of his illustrious career, Prabowo Subianto has received several prestigious awards such as the Role Model Medal and Military Instructor Service Medal.
Indonesia’s first vice president Mohammad Hatta was also known as The Proclamator. He was a major pillar of Indonesia’s independence struggle against the Dutch. He had also been Indonesia’s 3rd prime minister and its minister of defense. He is also remembered as the father of the Indonesian cooperative movement.
Gajah Mada was a military leader best remembered for his service as the Mahapatih of the Majapahit Empire from 1331 to 1364. He is said to have played an important role in bringing the empire to the peak of its glory. Today, Gajah Mada is widely regarded as a national hero and a symbol of patriotism in Indonesia.
Jusuf Kalla is an Indonesian businessman and politician. He is known for his service as the Vice President of Indonesia on two occasions; from 2004 to 2009 and again from 2014 to 2019. He also served as the Minister of Industry and Trade of Indonesia from 1999 to 2000 and then as the Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare of Indonesia.
Sudirman was the first commander of the Indonesian National Armed Forces. Initially a teacher at an elementary school, he started his army career with the volunteer army Defenders of the Homeland. He fought in World War II and the Indonesian National Revolution, and was named a National Hero of Indonesia.
Nadiem Makarim is an Indonesian businessman and politician. He is the current Minister of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology in Indonesia. He is also credited with founding an on-demand multi-service platform called Gojek, which operates in five countries. Nadiem Makarim is the recipient of several honors, including the Nikkei Asia Prize.
The governor of Jakarta, Anies Baswedan is also a seasoned academician, who has been the rector of Paramadina University and one of the youngest to hold that position. He has also been Indonesia’s minister of education and culture. He launched the Teaching Indonesia Movement, which unites the youth to contribute to education.
Puan Maharani is an Indonesian politician who became the first female to serve as the speaker of the People's Representative Council in 2019. She is also the third-youngest person to serve in that position. An influential political figure, Puan Maharani served as the Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Cultural Affairs from 2014 to 2019.
Susi Pudjiastuti is an Indonesian entrepreneur and politician. She is best known for her service as the Minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries of Indonesia from 2014 to 2019. In 2017, Pudjiastuti was named in the BBC 100 Women list. Susi Pudjiastuti is also the recipient of other prestigious awards such as Metro Eagle Award and Purwa Citra Priangan Award.
Legendary Indonesian military leader Abdul Haris Nasution was a prominent figure in the Indonesian National Revolution. He later served as Indonesia’s defense minister. He supported the rise of President Suharto, was named the Speaker of the People's Consultative Assembly, and later became a rival of Suharto.
Indonesia’s incumbent finance minister, Sri Mulyani Indrawati also serves as the 1st Vice Heads of National Research and Innovation Agency of Indonesia Steering Committee. She has previously also been the managing director and COO of the World Bank Group. She is known for promoting gender equality.
Mochtar Riady is an Indonesian financial magnate. He is best known as the founder of Lippo Group where he is currently serving as Chairman Emeritus. Lippo Group, a multinational conglomerate company, was founded by Mochtar Riady in 1950. The company has a collective presence across North America and Asia.
Grace Natalie is an Indonesian former journalist and television newsreader. Also a political figure, Natalie is credited with founding the Indonesian Solidarity Party. Grace Natalie led the party from 2014 to 2021 before handing over the reins to Giring Ganesha.
Initially a teacher and a journalist, Ibrahim Datuk Tan Malaka later joined the Communist movement in Indonesia and became Sukarno’s rival for the control of the country’s nationalist movement. Widely regarded as the Father of the Republic of Indonesia, he was captured and executed by Sukarno’s supporters.
Raden Wulansari, also known as Mulan Jameela, initially soared to fame as part of the Indonesian musical duo Ratu with fellow singer Maia Ahmad, releasing hits such as Teman Tapi Mesra. The singer later joined politics and was elected to be a Member of People's Representative Council.
Indonesian politician Sutan Sjahrir was also the country’s 1st prime minister. He was a key figure in the Indonesian struggle for independence and later supported the Western constitutional democracy. He had also served as the foreign minister and interior minister of Indonesia. He was named a National Hero of Indonesia.
Ki Hajar Dewantara was an Indonesian freedom fighter, politician, writer, and columnist. A pioneer of education for Indonesians during the Dutch occupancy of Indonesia, Dewantara is credited with founding the Taman Siswa school, which provided education for native Indonesians. His accomplishments in pioneering public education made him a national hero.
Former Indonesian vice-president and UN general assembly president Adam Malik was initially a journalist. He had launched the news agency Antara. Part of the youth group that kidnapped leaders Sukarno and Mohammad Hatta to snatch Indonesian independence, he later restored relations with other South Asian countries as a foreign minister.
The first woman to become Indonesia’s foreign minister, Retno Marsudi has previously also served as the Indonesian ambassador to the Netherlands, Norway, and Iceland. She has also been Indonesia’s Director General for America and Europe and has won honors such as the Star of the Republic of Indonesia.
The Indonesian social affairs minister, Tri Rismaharini, also known as Risma, scripted history as the first woman to be the mayor of Surabaya. She is best known for reducing the severity of the flood situation in Surabaya. She was named to the 2013 Forbes list of the 10 Most Inspiring Women.
Omar Said Tjokroaminoto led the Indonesian nationalist movement in its early years. He was also closely associated with the Sarekat Islam, or Islamic Association, through which he pioneered the trade union movement in Indonesia. The Dutch called him the Crownless King of Java. He taught Sukarno, who later married his daughter.
Rano Karno is an Indonesian politician and actor. He served as the Governor of Banten from 12 August 2015 to 11 January 2017. As far as his acting career is concerned, Karno is best known for his portrayal of Galih in the 1979 movie Gita Cinta dari SMA. Rano Karno is also known for his performance in Taksi.
Mari Elka Pangestu is an Indonesian economist and political figure. She is currently working for the World Bank where she is serving as the managing director of the institution's Development Policy and Partnerships. An important political leader, Mari Elka Pangestu also served as the Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy from 2011 to 2014.
Rasuna Said was an Indonesian independence and women's rights activist. She campaigned actively for women's political and educational rights. Rasuna Said was associated with various political organizations and her involvement in her country's struggle for independence earned her a posthumous recognition as the National Heroine of Indonesia.
The governor of East Java, Khofifah Indar Parawansa has previously also served as Indonesia’s minister of social affairs and the minister of female empowerment. She is known for her efforts in curbing prostitution and her support of inter-faith unity. She has also chaired the women’s group Muslimat.
Remembered as the first woman to become a navy admiral in the modern world, widowed Aceh warrior Keumalahayati led an army of widows named Inong Balee. She fought valiantly against the Dutch, leading to their surrender and a peace treaty. She died fighting a Portuguese fleet at Teuluk Krueng Raya.
Indonesian socio-political activist Yenny Wahid is the daughter of former Indonesian president Abdurrahman Wahid. Previously a journalist, who worked with publications such as The Sydney Morning Herald, she also leads The Wahid Institute as its director and is known for her efforts in focusing on the message of peace in Islam.
Indonesian politician Ruhut Sitompul, who has been a People's Representative Council member twice, began his career as Suharto’s lawyer and then gained fame as an actor after playing Poltak in the telenovela Gerhana. He was also part of the paramilitary organization Pemuda Pancasila before joining politics.
Alwi Shihab is an Indonesian politician best known for his service as the Foreign Minister of Indonesia from 26 October 1999 to 23 July 2001. He then served as Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare of Indonesia from 21 October 2004 to 7 December 2005.
Adjie Massaid was an Indonesian model, actor, and politician. He started his career as a model and then tried his hand at acting, appearing in films and TV soap operas. He then began his political career in 2004 when he joined the Democratic Party. Adjie Massaid also served as the pre-Olympics soccer team manager for the U–23 national team.
Indonesian rebel Arung Singkang initially gained control of the state Wadjo and later defended it successfully against the Dutch. He is known for uniting the southern Celebes people to fight his cause. He was, however, ousted from power in 1754, after an internal dispute.
Indonesian politician and socialite Hana Hasanah Shahab has been a senator from Gorontalo. She is the wife of former governor of Gorontalo, Fadel Muhammad. However, she herself failed to win the race for the governor as a PDI-P candidate and, later, the 2019 general election as a PPP candidate.
Utut Adianto is an Indonesian chess player and politician. He achieved popularity as a chess player in 1982 when he won the Indonesian Chess Championship. In 1986, he became the youngest Indonesian to achieve the prestigious Grandmaster title. Adianto went on to become a politician and served as the Deputy Speaker of the People's Representative Council from 2018 to 2019.
Tjipto Mangoenkoesoemo was an Indonesian independence activist who served as a political mentor of the first President of Indonesia, Sukarno. Mangoenkoesoemo is credited with co-founding the influential Indische Party alongside Soewardi Soerjaningrat and Ernest Douwes Dekker. Tjipto Mangoenkoesoemo is also credited with co-founding the National Party of Indonesia.
José Abílio Osório Soares was an Indonesian politician. He is best remembered for his service as the governor of East Timor from 18 September 1992 to 25 October 1999. José Abílio Osório Soares was the last governor of East Timor prior to the country's independence.
Indonesian singer Emilia Contessa began training in singing at age 5 and later soared to fame as a pop singer and as an actor. She is known for films such as Ratapan Anak Tiri and Tanah Gersang. She later joined politics and served as a Regional Representative Council member from East Java.
Mooryati Soedibyo is an Indonesian businesswoman and political figure. A member of an Indonesian royal family, Soedibyo was ranked seventh on the 99 most influential women list by the Globe Asia magazine in 2007. Mooryati Soedibyo is credited with founding a cosmetics company named Mustika Ratu.
Raja Haji was a Bugis warrior and crown prince of the Johor-Riau Sultanate. An important freedom fighter, Raja Haji spearheaded a number of raids on a Dutch fortress in Melacca before he was shot dead by the Dutch forces. His bravery was later commemorated by the Indonesian government with a National Hero of Indonesia title.
Widyawati is an Indonesian actress best known for her performance in Arini, which earned her the Citra Award for Best Leading Actress at the 1987 Indonesian Film Festival. Widyawati is also a recipient of the Citra Award for Best Supporting Actress, which she received for her performance in Semoga Kau Kembali.
Hasan Tiro was an Indonesian political leader best remembered for founding the Free Aceh Movement, an organization which sought the separation of the Aceh Province from Indonesia. Hasan Tiro is also remembered as the great-grandson of Indonesian freedom fighter, Tengku Cik di Tiro.
Armida Alisjahbana is an Indonesian economist and politician. She served as the Minister for National Development Planning of Indonesia from 22 October 2009 to 20 October 2014. Armida Alisjahbana is currently serving as the Executive Secretary of UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific.
Rachmat Witoelar is an Indonesian diplomat and politician. He is best known for his service as the State Minister of Environment of Indonesia from 2004 to 2009. From 1993 to 1997, Rachmat Witoelar served as Indonesian ambassador to Mongolia and Russia.
Dede Yusuf is an Indonesian politician and actor. He is best known for his service as the Vice Governor of West Java from 2008 to 2013. As an actor, Dede Yusuf is known for his performance in Perwira dan Ksatria, for which he received a Citra Award nomination under the Best Leading Actor category at the 1991 Indonesian Film Festival.