Paku Alam VIII

Paku Alam VIII, 8th Duke of Pakualaman (10 April 1910 – 11 September 1998) was Duke of Pakualaman serving as the second Governor of Yogyakarta. He was the son of Paku Alam VII and Gusti Bendara Raden Ayu Retno Poewoso. His child's name was Gusti Raden Mas Harya Sularso Kunto Suratno and his adult name was Kanjeng Gusti Pangeran Adipati Arya Prabu.

He acceded to the throne of the Duchy of Pakualaman (Kadipaten Pakualaman) on 12 April 1937 with the official name Kanjeng Gusti Pangeran Adipati Arya Paku Alam VIII. The Pakualaman dates from 1812 and is an enclave within the Yogyakarta Sultanate.

He died in office in 1998 and was buried in the family graveyard at Girigondo.

Paku Alam VIII was a major figure in the independence struggle. His contribution, together with that of Hamengkubuwono IX, led to Yogyakarta gaining status as a Special Region where the Sultan and the Prince serve respectively as governor and vice-governor for life.^[1][2]

On 19 August 1945, both Hamengkubuwono IX and Paku Alam VIII sent their congratulations to Sukarno and Mohammad Hatta for the founding of the Republic of Indonesia and their election as president and vice president. As Hamengkubuwono IX send another letter stating his readiness to join the republic to Sukarno on 20 August , Paku Alam VIII followed suit.^[3] On 5 September, Paku Alam VIII decreed that Pakualaman will be an integral part of Indonesia. In a joint declaration on 30 October, Hamengkubuwono IX and Paku Alam VIII agreed to unite both realms as the Special Region of Yogyakarta with Paku Alam VIII appointed as vice governor.

From 1946 to 1978, Paku Alam VIII often worked as acting governor of Yogyakarta as Hamengkubuwono IX hold ministerial positions in the Republican cabinet and as vice president. Paku Alam VIII also acted as the head of General Elections Commission in Yogyakarta during the local elections of 1951, 1955 and 1957. He himself was elected as a member of the Constitutional Assembly of Indonesia from the League of Supporters of Indonesian Independence (IPKI), member of MPRS and later as member of People's Consultative Assembly from 1997 to 1999.

After the death of Hamengkubuwono IX on 1988, Paku Alam VIII replaced him as the Governor of Yogyakarta until his death on 1998. On 20 May 1998 in response to the May 1998 Indonesia riots, Paku Alam VIII together with Hamengkubuwono X issued a joint declaration supporting a peaceful Reformasi for Indonesia. Months later, Paku Alam VIII died in office. By the time of his death, Paku Alam VIII was the longest serving vice governor in Indonesia (1945-1998) and the longest reigning Prince of Pakualaman (1937-1998).