T

he medical school at Gadjah Mada University (UGM) and the management at Dr. Sardjito General Hospital have proposed that the government declare Prof. Dr. M. Sardjito a national hero, following his enormous contributions to education, health and research.

Sutaryo, a professor at the medical school, said that Sardjito had contributed to education as he had played an important role in establishing UGM. Sardjito went on to become university’s the first dean in 1949 and the legendary UGM Central Building was built under his leadership.

 “Sardjito, with support from law expert Notonagoro, drew up the original draft of Government Regulation No. 37/1950 on the establishment of UGM” said Sutaryo during a press conference at Dr. Sardjito Hospital on Monday.

Born on Aug. 13, 1889, Sardjito graduated from Johns Hopkins University in the US in 1923 and later fought for Indonesia’s independence.

He was a member of the Budi Utomo movement and was appointed the head of the organization’s Jakarta chapter in 1925.

After Indonesia celebrated its Independence Day in 1945, Sardjito was asked to take over the Bandung Pasteur Institute in West Java. “In Bandung, Sardjito helped to establish the Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) to aid our wounded soldiers,” Sutaryo said.

In the health sector, Sardjito carried out research into a number of diseases, such as influenza, dysentery and leprosy. He also invented a medicine for renal calculus, named calcusol.

In terms of the calcusol, Sutaryo added, Sardjito, who died on May 5, 1970, once said that the medicine was aimed at the impoverished and should be sold at a reasonable price.

Meanwhile, spokesman for the Dr. Sardjito hospital, Tri Wahyu Yulianto, said that during the Sukarno era in 1959, Sardjito was named a national hero, but he lost that title when the New Order introduced new nomination requirements and criteria for national heroes in 1963.

Tri Wahyu added that the hospital’s management had proposed the award to the government, via the Social Affairs Ministry, on July 30.

“Hopefully, by Nov. 10 [National Heroes Day], the government will have declared Dr Sardjito is a
national hero,” he said.

Budi Santosa, one of Sardjito’s relatives, supported the effort and expressed his gratitude to the people who had proposed that Sardjito be hailed a national hero.