Prabowo Subianto

Prabowo Subianto Djojohadikusumo was born on October 17, 1951. He comes from a family deeply embedded in the history of modern Indonesia. His father, Sumitro Djojohadikusumo, was a prominent economist who served as a minister under both President Sukarno and President Suharto.

His grandfather, Margono Djojohadikusumo, was the founder of Bank Negara Indonesia and a member of the committee that drafted the foundations for Indonesian independence. Due to his father's political disagreements with the government in the 1960s, the family lived in self-imposed exile in various countries, including Switzerland, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, and the United Kingdom. This international upbringing allowed Prabowo to attend diverse educational institutions, such as the Victoria Institution in Kuala Lumpur and the American School in London.

These experiences provided him with a global perspective before he returned to Indonesia to pursue a career in the military, following his father's encouragement.

In 1970, Prabowo enrolled in the Indonesian Military Academy in Magelang, graduating in 1974. His career was characterized by his service in the Indonesian Army Special Forces, known as Kopassus. By 1976, he was serving as a commander of a Nanggala unit in East Timor, becoming the youngest commander in that role at the age of 26.

In 1981, he was selected to attend anti-terror training in Germany with the GSG-9 unit, which led to the formation of Indonesia's first anti-terror detachment, Detasemen 81. Throughout his military tenure, he held significant commands, including the Army Strategic Reserve Command (Kostrad) in 1998. His military career was marked by various high-stakes operations, including the 1996 Operation Mapenduma in Papua, which aimed to rescue hostages held by the Free Papua Movement.

His service concluded in 1998, when he was discharged from the military following an investigation by the Officers Council of Honour regarding his role in the kidnapping of democracy activists during the political unrest of that year.

Following his departure from the military, Prabowo transitioned into the private sector, joining his brother, Hashim Djojohadikusumo, in the business world. He became involved with the Nusantara Group, a conglomerate that eventually controlled 27 companies across various industries, including oil, natural gas, coal, and paper production. One of his notable business acquisitions was Kiani Kertas, a paper pulp company that he later rebranded as Kertas Nusantara.

Beyond corporate interests, Prabowo engaged in advocacy work, focusing on the welfare of rural and working-class populations. He served as the president of the Indonesian Farmers' Association (HKTI) starting in 2004 and the Indonesian Traditional Market Traders Association (APPSI) in 2008. In these capacities, he lobbied for policies to protect small-scale traders from the expansion of large hypermarkets, arguing that traditional markets were essential to the economic health of local communities.

Prabowo's political career began in earnest in 2008 with the establishment of the Gerindra Party. He was a candidate for vice president in 2009 and ran for president in 2014 and 2019. Despite these initial electoral defeats, he remained a central figure in national politics.

In 2019, he joined the cabinet of his former rival, President Joko Widodo, serving as the minister of defence until 2024. During this period, he focused on national security and defence policy. In 2024, he launched another presidential campaign, which resulted in a victory.

The General Election Commission certified his win on March 20, 2024, and the Constitutional Court upheld the results on April 22, 2024. He was officially inaugurated as the eighth president of Indonesia on October 20, 2024. As of October 2026, he continues to lead the nation, managing the complexities of government and national development.

Prabowo represents the third generation of the Djojohadikusumo family to hold significant political influence in Indonesia since the country's independence in 1945. His son, Didit Hediprasetyo, has pursued a career in fashion design in Paris, showing little interest in the political path of his father. However, the family's political legacy is expected to continue through his nephews and nieces, including Thomas Djiwandono, Budi Djiwandono, Aryo Djojohadikusumo, and Rahayu Djojohadikusumo, who are active members of the Gerindra Party.

Prabowo's career has been a subject of intense public and academic scrutiny, reflecting the broader transitions in Indonesian politics from the late 20th century to the present day. His journey from a military officer to a businessman and finally to the presidency highlights the evolving nature of leadership in Indonesia, as he now oversees the administration of the country as its head of state.