Cokorda Gde Raka Sukawati

Tjokorda Gde Raka Soekawati
Soekawati with his French wife during a visit in Sulawesi. (April 1948)
1st President of the State of East Indonesia
In office December 24, 1946 – August 17, 1950
Prime Minister	Nadjamoeddin Daeng Malewa Warouw Ide Anak Agung Gde Agung J.E. Tatengkeng D.P. Diapari J. Poetoehena
Preceded by	Position created
Succeeded by	Position abolished
Personal details
Born	(1899-01-15)January 15, 1899 Ubud, Gianyar, Bali, Dutch East Indies
Died	1967 Indonesia
Spouse(s)	Gusti Agung Niang Putu Gilberte Vincent

Tjokorda Gde Raka Soekawati (new spelling: Cokorda Gde Raka Sukawati), (January 15, 1899 in Ubud, Gianyar, Bali – 1967) was the only President of the State of East Indonesia from 1946 to its disestablishment in 1950. His title Tjokorda Gde indicates that Soekawati belonged to the highest ksatria (one of the four noble castes in Bali). He had a Balinese wife Gusti Agung Niang Putu of which a son was born Tjokorda Ngurah Wim Sukawati. In 1933 Tjokorda Raka married a French woman named Gilberte Vincent with whom he had two sons.

In his young years, Soekawati attended a school for Indonesian officials. In 1918 he was an official Indonesian candidate appointed by the Bandung auditors. At the end of the same year he was mantripolitie (a title for indigenous officials) to Denpasar. In 1919, he had political ambitions and was promoted to Punggawa (district) of his birthplace Ubud. In 1924 he was elected member of the People's Council, which he held until 1927. Then, in the same year, he was a member of the board of delegates of the People's Council. At the end of 1931 he went to study in Europe. In 1932 he continued his journey to the Netherlands to study agriculture and animal husbandry.

Between December 18 to 24 1946, he attended the conference in Denpasar and was chosen as interim president of the State of East Indonesia. The conference also led to the formation of the Provisional Parliament of East Indonesia. On April 21, 1950, he successfully negotiated East Indonesia's integration into a unitary Republic of Indonesia, heeding majority support for a unitary state.