The national Kompas daily newspaper announced on Thursday, June 27, 2013, the annual recognition granted to five most dedicated intellectuals in Indonesia in 2013. Two of the awardees are Fulbright program alumni. They are Budi Darma and Ahmad Syafii Maarif. The criteria, among others, include figures who work with an intellectual ascetic spirit who become resource persons reminding all that the main duty of an intellectual is to find the essence of truth not influenced by any pragmatic political gains. In their work to give enlightment, in writing or orally, they inevitably have intersected with the realm of power, capital, and culture. Their critical stance indirectly position them as guru of the society.
Budi Darma, being a prolific and renowned novelist and professor of English language and literature, untiringly urges all to write because the next generation would be able to learn something from their writings, without which there would be no progress in our culture. By writing, we will be able to identify the problems, retrace their origins, and help find ways to arrange and re-arrange the nation slice by slice. Budi Darma is 1974 and 1980 Fulbright grantee to Indiana University. He has won recognitions/awards including the Medal of Honor from the President for his contribution to the development of the field of culture in Indonesia, the Southeast Asian Writing Award being one of Indonesia’s most distinguished writers of fiction, and the Achmad Bakrie Award for his life time achievement in the field of creative writing.
Ahmad Syafii Maarif is recognized for his consistency in strengthening humanity pillars which are inclusive, tolerant, friendly, and well-mannered which are actually the core, essence of Islam. This is the reason of his being awarded the Magsaysay Award in 2008, (equivalent of the Nobel Prize in Asia) for his role in guiding Muslims to embrace tolerance and pluralism as the basis for justice and harmony in Indonesia and the rest of the world. Former chair of Indonesia’s second largest Muslim organization Muhammadiyah also received President Habibie award in 2008 for his role in promoting interfaith dialogue and religious harmony. His down to earth committments gives him the position of a candle; it is ready to melt in order to be able to give light to the surroundings. He deserves to be the “Nation Guru.” Ahmad Syafii Maarif is a Fulbright program alumnus earning his Master’s degree in history from the Ohio University in 1978, and his Ph.D. degree in Islamic Thought from the University of Chicago.
Last Updated: May 27, 2022 @ 8:00 pm