The Hindu Dharma State Institute (IHDN) in Denpasar has been declared as Indonesia’s first Hindu state university, following a change in status as laid out in a presidential regulation (Perpres) from President Joko Widodo that was enacted last week.
The new university is now called I Gusti Bagus Sugriwa State Hindu University (UHN). Under the 2020 Perpres, UHN is tasked with “administering Hindu higher education programs,” with all IHDN students, staff and assets converted and transferred to the new university.
“This signals that President Jokowi has given special attention to Hindu educational institutions in Bali, and we should use this moment to move toward excellent human capital in Bali’s future,” IHDN rector I Gusti Ngurah Sudiana said in a statement.
The name I Gusti Bagus Sugriwa is a tribute to a Balinese public figure of that name, who is considered a “father” to Hindu religion on the island.
“A simple man with a dream to preserve local languages and Hindu religion in Bali is the main characteristic of this role model, who was born in Bungkulan, Buleleng on March 4, 1900,” Sudiana said, adding that Sugriwa passed away in 1973 after a life dedicated to that mission.
“We the academics of IHDN Denpasar will continue to work harder to build this Hindu campus so that it can continue to become even better.”
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