For the staff who worked at the Habibie Center he was simply, Big Boss. That term reflected the fact that everything we did was on his behalf.

We were ambassadors advocating BJ Habibie’s vision of a structurally and culturally democratic society that acknowledges, honors and promotes human rights. We were soldiers fighting for his mission to promote and advance effective human resources management and the propagation of technology.

While staff members came and went, as in any organization, BJ Habibie was a constant lighthouse. As a new recruit to the Habibie Center, I still remember clearly the day I first met this proverbial beacon; Friday, April 20, 2012, to be precise.

My sense of excitement was matched by a far greater sense of nervousness and trepidation. Not only was I meeting Big Boss at his residence in Patra Kuningan in South Jakarta, I was mindful of the fact that this was a former president of the Republic of Indonesia no less. What if I said the wrong thing? What if I committed a major faux pas? What if I embarrassed myself in front of him?

Yet within seconds of being in the great man’s presence, all my fears and worries just slipped away. I was struck by his humility, his devotion to his beloved wife and most of all, his passion for all things to do with flying. It was easy to forget that at one point, this was the most powerful man in the republic.

The same person that was addressed as “His Excellency” whenever he met foreign ambassadors and other VVIPs

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