Bajaj Driver's Son Realises Dream of Studying at ITB, Driven to Campus in Father's Three-Wheeler
Andromeda Sufi Anggoro beamed with joy after realising his dream of studying at the Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB). He managed to convince his father, Basuni Yusuf, a bajaj driver, to allow him to pursue his studies in Bandung.
An alumnus of SMAN 4 Yogyakarta, Andro, as he is known, initially spent a year studying in Yogyakarta because his father was reluctant to let him go to Bandung. However, thanks to his perseverance, Andro finally achieved his dream.
“I have never attended private tutoring because of the cost. I relied heavily on YouTube and online tryouts. I would search for the material I wanted to learn, complete it, and then move on to the next topic,” Andro said, as quoted from the ITB website on Thursday (23/7/2026).
He was delighted upon receiving news of his acceptance into the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences (FMIPA) at ITB through the National Test-Based Selection (SNBT) pathway. He admitted that he had wanted to study at ITB since the tenth grade.
“I am certainly very grateful and happy because I have wanted to study at ITB for a long time. I also want to be part of ITB,” he recounted.
Andro is determined to focus on his studies to achieve good academic results during the common first-year programme and later pursue his desired major, Astronomy. His interest in astronomy stemmed from his love of studying physics and his experience attending religious study sessions that discussed the sky and the vastness of the universe.
“I once attended a religious study session that explained about the sky. From there, I became more interested because God’s creation is so vast. I want to delve deeper into it,” Andro said.
He was driven to Bandung by his father in the family bajaj. The three-wheeler, which is the family’s source of livelihood, became a silent witness to the journey of Andro’s studies. The group travelled for 24 hours from Yogyakarta to Bandung. Upon arrival, Andro and his family were welcomed by the Rector of ITB, Prof. Dr. Ir. Tatacipta Dirgantara, M.T., at the Rector’s Residence on Monday (20/7).
His father, Basuni, admitted he was initially worried about his son’s intention to study in Bandung. Financial constraints made him hesitant. “At that time, I told Andro that if he studied in Bandung, I wouldn’t be able to afford it. So, he tried studying in Yogyakarta first,” said Basuni Yusuf.
He did not expect that in his second year of study, his son would be accepted at ITB. Amidst his confusion over the finances, his wife tried to convince Basuni to support Andro’s wishes. “My wife said, ‘Father, bismillah’. Finally, I allowed and supported Andro to go to Bandung,” Basuni said.
Basuni has now delivered his son to Bandung to continue his studies. He hopes Andro will study diligently. “Andromeda is a galaxy. My hope is that he will have a mind as broad as a galaxy,” said Basuni Yusuf.