Raden Mas Soewardi Soerjaningrat ; from 1922 also known as Ki Hadjar Dewantara, which is also written as Ki Hajar Dewantoro to reflect its Javanese pronunciation, was a leading Indonesian independence movement activist, writer, columnist, politician, and pioneer of education for native Indonesians in Dutch colonial times. He founded the Taman Siswa school, an institution that provided education for indigenous commoners, which otherwise was limited to the Javanese aristocracy and the Dutch colonials.
Ki Hajar Dewantara in 1949
Statue of Ki Hadjar Dewantara in front of Sekolah Tamansiswa
Dewantara in his youth
Teachers at the Taman Siswa school in Jogjakarta.
Proclamation of Indonesian Independence
The Proclamation of Indonesian Independence was read at 10:00 on Friday, 17 August 1945 in Jakarta. The declaration marked the start of the diplomatic and armed resistance of the Indonesian National Revolution, fighting against the forces of the Netherlands and pro-Dutch civilians, until the latter officially acknowledged Indonesia's independence in 1949. The document was signed by Sukarno and Mohammad Hatta, who were appointed president and vice-president respectively the following day.
Sukarno, accompanied by Mohammad Hatta (right), proclaiming the independence of Indonesia.
The original Indonesian proclamation of Independence
Sukarno praying before proclaiming the independence of Indonesia
Children playing in Proclamation Park, the site of the 1945 Indonesian proclamation of independence; monument designed by Nyoman Nuarta