The sky over the UGM Balairung was sad as the UGM academic community mourned the loss of their beloved Professor Sudjarwadi. The Balairung was filled with floral tributes expressing condolences.
The UGM family was deeply saddened by the passing of this humble figure who led the university from 2007 to 2012. The outpouring of tears from those attending the wake reflected their deep affection for this modest figure who always prioritized collective intelligence in his work.
“On behalf of the leadership and the entire UGM family, I extend our deepest condolences for the passing of the late Professor Sudjarwadi on Saturday, Aug. 10, 2024, at 21:48 WIB. The entire UGM family is in mourning as our colleague, mentor, and one of the finest sons of Universitas Gadjah Mada and Indonesia has been called by God Almighty,” said Professor M. Baiquni, Chair of the UGM Board of Professors, at the UGM Balairung on Sunday (Aug. 11).
Leading the funeral ceremony, Professor Baiquni noted that Professor Sudjarwadi’s journey exemplified the path of an outstanding national figure who began with scientific knowledge and led UGM. Many mourners illustrated the professor’s efforts to advance science and apply it.
“May all his contributions become a continuous charity, and for his happiness in the hereafter, let us continue what Professor Sudjarwadi started by developing the knowledge he imparted. He has left a valuable legacy for future generations,” he said.
The late Professor Sudjarwadi was a professor of hydraulic science in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, UGM Faculty of Engineering (FT UGM).
He was appointed a professor at FT UGM on May 30, 1998, or 26 years ago. In his professorial inauguration speech, he discussed the Principles of Simplicity in Contextual Irrigation Engineering.
According to Professor Baiquni, the late professor’s simplicity was evident in his inauguration speech, where he mentioned that the complexity of life, influenced by water science, could be simplified to have greater utility for human welfare.
“Today, we see that water is a key to life, and we are expected to continue preserving it through the knowledge he shared. We are collectively invited to conserve both the quantity and quality of water so that future life can continue and thrive,” he said.
When we remember Professor Sudjarwadi, we remember how he instilled collective intelligence in everyone. As a leader who emphasized collective intelligence, he lived by the motto, “Someone has nothing, but everyone has something.”
“Professor Sudjarwadi pioneered developing UGM into a World Class Research University (WCRU),” the chair reminisced.
As the leader of UGM, he was also a pioneer of a world-class university. He always sought to integrate scientific knowledge with wisdom, which he realized in the UGM Wisdom Park. This means that lectures could be delivered in classrooms as well as open spaces.
Professor Baiquni noted that the Board of Professors has preserved the Wisdom Park area to become a center of knowledge that bridges science with society and the environment.
Thus, Professor Baiquni observed that Professor Sudjarwadi’s leadership united the UGM academic community and society, demonstrating the late professor’s goodness.
One of his life philosophies was that everyone has their own principles or philosophy of life, including those who have achieved success.
This philosophy highlights that everyone must work together and collaborate. Hence, during his leadership at UGM, Professor Sudjarwadi always showed his capacity as a good leader, able to bring unity as the key to success.
“At this moment of final tribute, let me extend my deepest thanks to Professor Sudjarwadi for his service and dedication to UGM, particularly to the Faculty of Engineering. His knowledge and work will, God willing, pave the way for the development of future knowledge, and may he receive the best place with God Almighty,” Professor Baiquni concluded.
After receiving tributes from the UGM family, the body of the late Professor Sudjarwadi was taken from the UGM Balairung to his family cemetery in Cawas, Klaten, for burial.
Author: Agung Nugroho
Photographer: Donnie