Iman Budhi Santosa

Iman Budhi Santosa
Santosa at the launch of his book Sesanti Tedhak Siti, 2015
Born	(1948-03-28) 28 March 1948 (age 69) Kauman, Magetan, Indonesia
Nationality	Indonesian
Alma mater	Farming Academy, Semarang
Occupation	Poet
Spouse(s)	Sri Maryati (1971–1978)
Children	4

Iman Budhi Santosa (born 28 March 1948), commonly known as IBS, is an Indonesian author based in Yogyakarta. Born in Magetan, East Java, IBS was educated in agriculture but drawn to literature from a young age. In 1969, he helped establish the Persada Studi Klub, later publishing numerous works, including poetry collections, novels, and short stories. His poetry has been considered to have strong Javanese cultural influences.

Iman Budhi Santosa was born on 28 March 1948, a Kliwon Sunday, the only child born to Iman Sukandar and Hartiyatim. The family lived in Kauman, Magetan, East Java, until IBS's parents divorced when he was aged 18 months. IBS went to live with his mother and grandfather in Magetan. He later described his childhood as an unhappy one, stating that his mother and grandfather – a former headmaster – had insisted that he focus on intellectual pursuits, rather than sports like the other children. As a result, he felt isolated from his peers.

IBS finished elementary school in 1960; around this time his mother remarried, taking the Javanese-language author Any Asmara as her husband. The family continued to live in Magetan until after IBS completed his junior high school education, when they relocated to Yogyakarta. There he studied at the vocational school run by the Muja-Muju Agricultural Education Foundation, graduating in 1968.

On 5 March 1969 IBS established the Persada Studi Klub (PSK; Persada Study Club) together with fellow authors such as Umbu Landu Paranggi and Ragil Suwarna Pragolapati. Sponsored by the magazine Pelopor Yogya, this group allowed young authors to publish in a dedicated section of the weekly's culture column. Though the group disbanded in 1977, its shared passion for freedom and togetherness continued to influence IBS. In his poetry, IBS was further influenced by Javanese mysticism (kejawen), drawing on traditional Javanese culture such as wayang.

In 1971 IBS began to work at the Medini tea plantation on the slopes of Mount Ungaran. After four years there, he spent three months with the Cipiring sugar factory in Kendal before joining the Ministry of Agriculture. By the end of the 1970s he had been stationed in Pekalongan, Cilacap, and Boyolali. The ministry later sent him to the Farming Academy in Semarang, from which he graduated in 1983. During this period he published few works, though he continued to write actively. His works were included in such anthologies as Tugu (1986) and Tonggak 3, both edited by his PSK colleague Linus Suryadi AG.