Sumitro Institute Officially Launched: Reviving The Legacy Of The Economist's Thoughts

Deputy Minister Thomas Djiwandono, Minister of Culture Fadli Zon, and Minister of PKP Fahri Hamzah while attending the soft launching of the Soemitro Institute (Ist)

JAKARTA - Intellectuals and alumni from various universities on behalf of the University of Prof. Sumitro Djojohadikusumo student association announced the soft launching of the Sumitro Institute.

The formation of the Sumitro Institute is motivated by the urge to further explore, re-learn, and share the legacy of Sumitro's thinking Djojohadikusumo or what is often referred to as Simitronomis.

Recently, the term has returned to being hotly discussed because many thoughts of the Economist have actually proven to be more relevant to the current developing conditions.

At the soft launching event which was held on Sunday, June 1, a scientific talk was also held with the theme Prolog Summits: Development for the Economy & Economy for Development.

The event was attended by the Deputy Minister of Finance of the Republic of Indonesia who is the grandson of Prof. Sumitro, Thomas Djiwandono, Deputy Minister of Housing and Settlement Areas of the Republic of Indonesia, Fahri Hamzah, Minister of Culture Fadli Zon, Economist from the Faculty of Economics, University of Indonesia (FEUI), Fithra Faisal Hastiadi, and Chair of the FEUI Alumni Association (ILUNI), and Ubaidillah Nugraha.

Present as speakers were Professor of Gadjah Mada University (UGM), Prof. Dr. Anggito Abhimanyu, who had special experience as an assistant researcher at the think-tank economic policy institution Prof. Sumitro.

According to Anggito, Prof. Sumitro is an important legacy for the nation, especially related to the existence of a development economy, not merely economic science.

"Prof. Sumitro does not only belong to ILUNI," said Anggito Abimanyu, in a press statement received on Tuesday, June 3.

Meanwhile, Deputy Minister of Housing and Settlement Areas of the Republic of Indonesia who is also an alumni of FEUI Fahri Hamzah, said that there are several themes that have always been the attention of Prof. Sumitro.

The economy taught by Prof. Sumitro is a development economy that touches rural areas, moves cooperatives, alleviates poverty, and adapts the future, "said Fahri.

The economist from FEUI Fithra Faisal Hastiadi, added that what is needed now is not solely development in Indonesia but more inclusive development of Indonesia. "Including the entire community. That is what Prof. Sumitro wants to convey through his thoughts so far," he added.

In line with that, Danantara's Chief Investment Officer (CIO), Pandu Sjahrir, said that the Danantara where he is taking part now is nothing but a manifestation of Prof. Sumitro, which has been initiated for decades.

Dantara bukan hanya profit, tapi nilai, dan kedaulatan, yang sustainable. Oleh karena itu lebih dari optimalisasi kekayaannya, Danantara adalah optimalisasi pelakunya, katanya.

On the same occasion, the Minister of Culture of the Republic of Indonesia, Fadli Zon, said Prof. Sumitro is an economic fighter. He has reviewed this in the 100th anniversary of Prof. Sumitro in 2017.

Until the end of his life, the Economist who is also the founder of FEB UI has donated more than 100 works to the nation and the world, including a very comprehensive book Economic Development. Amazingly, published just a decade after the Proclamation of Independence in 1945, amid all the limitations and challenges post-independence.

The Caretaker of the Sumitro Institute, Haryo Budi Rahmadi, revealed that Prof. Sumitro was the first to write a book entitled Development Economics or Development Economics specifically until the publication of the book in 1955. "In fact, it is very likely that earlier than Sir Arthur Lewis, who is often considered the father of the development economy," he said.

The inauguration of the Sumitro Institute, which was held on Sunday, June 1, 2025, coincided with the Birthday of Pancasila, marking an important step in preserving and developing Prof. Sumitro, who also contributed a lot to the development of the Pancasila Economy.

The Sumitro Institute, which is located in Cibubur, has been initiated since January 2024 as a forum for informal discussions for the Student-Students' Association Prof. Sumitro or what they refer to as Catra Sangha Djojohadikusumo in Sanskrit.

The various activities that have been running so far are the preservation of Prof. Sumitro as well as routine cross-alma mater discipline discussions.

Thomas Djiwandono hopes that the Sumitro Institute will become the center of Prof.'s thoughts. Sumitro, who always advised that the core of development is human dignity and independence.

In the future, in a series of activities towards Grand Launching, the Sumitro Institute will hold a number of activities including a national seminar for Cooperative Day 2025, and international dialogue to welcome the commemoration of 10 Indonesian Independence Windu.