Gadjah Mada University to award Prof. Selo

Asip A. Hasani, The Jakarta Post, Yogyakarta

Gadjah Mada University (UGM), the oldest university in Yogyakarta, announced on Monday that it would grant its 2001 Hamengkubuwono IX Award to Selo Sumardjan, a senior professor of sociology at the University of Indonesia in Jakarta, in recognition of his long dedication to the discipline.

Boma Wikantijoso, who heads the 250-strong university senate, told a press briefing here that Selo Sumardjan had been selected as the winner of last year's Hamengkubuwono IX Award for his long-term dedication to his chosen academic field.

"He is one of those intellectuals who has a high level of integrity and dedication to working in his field for the sake of the people's development," Boma said.

UGM's 2001 annual award should have been bestowed on the award winner on December 19 last year in observance of the university's 52nd anniversary. The award ceremony, however, was postponed due to the celebration of the Idul Fitri holidays, and was rescheduled to Jan. 19, 2002.

Selo will be the ninth intellectual to win the prestigious award since 1991. Others who received the award included former foreign minister Mochtar Kusuma Atmadja, Otto Sumarwoto, a professor of ecology from Padjadjaran University, Sartono Kartodirdjo, a noted historian from Gadjah Mada University, Prof. T. Jacob, an anthropology expert, and former minister of religious affairs Prof. A. Mukti Ali.

The late Hamengkubuwono IX was the sultan of Yogyakarta and once served as vice president during the time of former president Soeharto. His name was given to the university's annual award on account of the important role he played in establishing the university.