Prof. Dr. Ir. I Gusti Putu Raka, DEA (seated on the left), honorably retired at 70 years when taking a photo with the ITS Department of Civil Engineering lecturers while carrying his Retirement Farewell Book

Kampus ITS, ITS News — The important role of one of the lecturers at the Department of Civil Engineering, Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember (ITS), came to an end. Last Thursday (7/23), the ITS Civil Engineering Department held a 70-years of Service Farewell for Prof. Dr. Ir. I Gusti Putu Raka, DEA. The event, which was held in the Reading Room of the ITS Civil Engineering Department and broadcasted via Zoom, was attended by ITS Civil Engineering lecturers and ITS executive members.

Exactly in May 2020, Prof. Dr. Ir. I Gusti Putu Raka, DEA, entered the retirement period at the age of 70 years. Being part of the ITS Civil Engineering Department was a great honor for him. “I am very delighted to be able to serve here, the environment is very supportive, and everyone is collaborating together to aid one another,” expressed this graduate of the National des Sciences Institute Appliquées de Toulouse (INSA Toulouse), France, gratefully.

Also joined the event, ITS Rector, Prof. Dr. Ir. Mochamad Ashari, M.Eng., mentioned that this man who is familiarly called Raka deserves to be called the living ITS database. “Pak Raka is similar to a computer, who memorized all the ins and outs of ITS, starting from financial, living assets, development, infrastructure, to the boundaries of the ITS region with other campuses and regions,” he explained.

ITS Rector, Prof. Dr. Ir. Mochamad Ashari, M.Eng., when giving his testimony through a zoom meeting

In line with the previous statement, Dr. Ir. Murni Rachmawati, Dean of the ITS Faculty of Civil, Planning, and Geo Engineering (CIVPLAN) revealed that with his long service period, Raka had extensive experience and insight. In addition, this man who served as the Head of the ITS Civil Engineering Department from 1993 to 1999 was a figure who had a major role and contributed immensely to ITS.

“At a meeting with the Advisory Council, he always tells how ITS used to be. It made me realize how he is a very experienced figure and paved our horizons to understand the situation of ITS from time to time,” clarified Murni.

Furthermore, Head of the ITS Board of Trustees, Prof. Dr. Ir. Mohammad Nuh, DEA, ​​added that Raka was a very humble person. The former Rector of ITS also further identified that he was an expert with prominent skills in his scientific fields, as well as in governance and humanitarian fields. “Due to his thoroughness, Pak Raka is able to locate empty gaps that have not been seen by all of us, which was all conveyed in the articulation of language that is pleasant to hear,” he wrote in the Retirement Farewell Book.

A huge number of people will definitely miss Raka’s respectable presence in ITS, specifically in the ITS Civil Engineering Department. Some colleagues of this man, who was born in 1950, knew each other well since attending their university years, such as Prof. Ir. Noor Endah, M.Sc., Ph.D., and Prof. Dr. Ir. Triwulan, DEA. Some of them are even students who received his guidance, such as the Head of ITS Senate, Prof. Ir. Priyo Suprobo, M.S., Ph.D.

The Head of the ITS Civil Engineering Department, Umboro Lasminto, S.T., M.Sc., also expressed his gratitude to Raka for his loyal dedication. He also continued to hope for his guidance and support in leading the department. “We are truly grateful for his dedication and we hope he still wants to guide us, his junior lecturers,” he stated.

Raka also hoped that after his departure, ITS, particularly the Department of Civil Engineering, would be able to continue to develop, considering that the teaching staff had the opportunity to aim for higher education. Not to be forgotten, he also hoped that everyone could remember the services of the lecturers who had preceded him and were retired. “Hopefully our duty to teach and educate students can be carried out even more optimally,” he concluded. (ri/lut/ory/ITS Public Relations)

Handover of the Retirement Farewell Book from the Head of ITS Structure Laboratory, Budi Suswanto, S.T., M.T., Ph.D., (right) to Prof. Dr. Ir. I Gusti Putu Raka, DEA (left)