Hasri Ainun Habibie

Early life

Ainun was born on August 11, 1937 in Semarang to R. Mohamad Besari, a lecturer, and his wife Sadarmi Besari, a midwife, whose family is known as well-educated and intellectual.

She and her siblings studied in Dago Christian Junior College. Her eldest brother, Sahari, graduated from junior college when he's in the 2nd grade and continues his education in Bandung Institute of Technology. Ainun continues her education in the Medical Faculty of University of Indonesia and graduated in 1961.

Marriage

Ainun first met B.J. "Rudy" Habibie when they were studying in secondary school. They were schoolmates when studying in Dago Christian Junior College. Their families had known each other for a long time and often visited each other.

In 1962, Rudy and Ainun first met. They fell in love and wed on May 12, 1962. Their honeymoon took place in Yogyakarta, Bali, and Ujung Pandang. Rudy's three month holiday in Indonesia soon ended and they moved to Aachen, Germany as Rudy is worked there. The couple had two children.

Career

In 1978, Suharto appointed the 42-year-old B. J. Habibie to be his Minister of Research and Technology in his third cabinet. As the wife of the member of the cabinet, Ainun joined the Dharma Wanita organization under the leadership of First Lady Siti Hartinah. Ainun led his husband's ministry's Dharma Wanita and consolidating non-department organization with Madame Soedharmono, wife of Soedharmono, Secretary of State.

On April 26, 1978, First Lady Tien Soeharto, Second Lady Nelly Adam Malik, and Mrs Soehartati Oemar Senoadji founded Yayasan Karya Bhakti RIA Pembangunan or simply as YKBRP, whose organization from 1998 until 1999, Ainun became its chairperson, and until her death, she still remains its chairwoman. Ainun was chairwoman of PPMTI from 2000 until her death in 2010.

Second Lady of Indonesia (1998)

In 1996, First Lady Siti Hartinah died and her eldest daughter Tutut appointed to replace her as acting First Lady.

In 1998, Suharto appointed Habibie as his mate in the 1998 and the parliament elected them as president and vice-president. Ainun thus became Second Lady and leader of Dharma Wanita (held by a First Lady, but there was no First Lady at the time, because First Lady Siti Hartinah were deceased). She later becomes its official leader on May 1998.

First Lady (1998-1999)

Suharto was in a state visit to Cairo when the demonstrators break the House of Representative's office buildings. Suharto quickly gets back to Indonesia and resigns his position as president, gives it up to Habibie. Ainun thus became First Lady. Ainun became chairperson of all first lady's organizations includes Dharma Wanita and YKBRP. In 1999, the parliament declined Habibie's presidential responsibility speech and elected Abdurrahman Wahid as the next president.

Death

In 2010, Ainun entered Ludwig Maximilians-Universität Hospital, Munich, Germany for intensive care for her ovarian cancer. After several operations, she died on May 22 in the same year. Her body was sent back to Jakarta and buried in the Kalibata National Heroes Cemetery on May 25 in a military funeral ceremony conducted by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

In popular culture

Ainun was portrayed by actress Bunga Citra Lestari in the 2012 film Habibie & Ainun, based on the novel with the same title with the film by her husband, B. J. Habibie. It was published in 2010. The novel contains his 48 years married life with Ainun.

A traditional comedy opera series by Trans7 channel, Opera van Java, had their 2009 episode Hadidi dan Mainun where Ainun was portrayed by comedian Nunung.

In 2016, she made a cameo (portrayed by someone) in the 2016 film Rudy Habibie, a prequel to the 2012 film.