Born: 6 June 1901 · Died: 21 June 1970 · Age at death: 69
How old was Sukarno when he died?
Sukarno died aged 69. He was born on 6 June 1901 and died on 21 June 1970.
Indonesian nationalist who declared independence from the Dutch in 1945 and served as the country's first president
Did you know?He was an avid art collector who amassed thousands of paintings and sculptures, many of which now belong to the Indonesian state collection.
Quick facts
Date of birth6 June 1901
Date of death21 June 1970
Age at death69
Cause of deathKidney failure
NationalityIndonesian
BirthplaceSurabaya, Indonesia
Occupationpolitician, art collector
Editor's Take:
Sukarno was the founding father of modern Indonesia. Trained as an engineer, he became the most powerful voice against Dutch colonial rule. The Dutch jailed and exiled him for years. On 17 August 1945 he proclaimed Indonesia's independence, and four years of struggle followed. As president he tried to unite thousands of islands and hundreds of ethnic groups. He hosted the 1955 Bandung Conference of newly independent Asian and African nations. His later rule became more authoritarian. After the violent upheaval of 1965, he was pushed aside by General Suharto.
Key Milestones
1927: Nationalist Party – founded
1945: Independence – proclaimed
1949: Recognition by the Netherlands
1955: Bandung – Asian-African conference
Sukarno (born Koesno Sosrodihardjo; 6 June 1901 – 21 June 1970) was an Indonesian statesman, activist, and revolutionary who served as the first president of Indonesia from 1945 to 1967. Sukarno was the leader of the Indonesian struggle for independence from the Dutch colonialists.
