Prabowo experienced a childhood filled with limitations due to his father’s involvement in politics, which forced him to live outside of Indonesia from a young age. Despite this, his love for Indonesia, nurtured by his family, prompted him to choose the National Military Academy over a prestigious American university, despite his academic success in high school.
In Jakarta, Prabowo split his time between his father’s home in Kebayoran Baru and his grandfather’s residence in Matraman. His grandfather, R.M. Margono Djojohadikusumo, lived next to K.H. Hasyim Asyari, the grandfather of Indonesia’s fourth president, Gus Dur.
Prabowo also spent time in Switzerland, a decision influenced by political tensions between Prof. Sumitro and President Sukarno regarding the Communist Party of Indonesia (PKI). Prof. Sumitro disagreed with the PKI’s involvement in Sukarno’s government, leading to surveillance of his overseas residence by intelligence agencies.
His education continued at the American School in London, where he excelled as captain of various teams and served as the editor-in-chief of the school magazine. Notably, Prabowo was the only Indonesian student at the school during his time there.
