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Ismail Marzuki was a prolific and highly influential Indonesian composer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist celebrated as a national hero for his patriotic songs during the Indonesian National Revolution.Born in Kwitang, Batavia (now Jakarta), Dutch East Indies, Ismail Marzuki displayed musical talent early, mastering instruments like the guitar, piano, accordion, saxophone, and flute largely self-taught. He began composing in the 1930s across diverse genres including kroncong, Hawaiian, and gambang kromong. His career flourished during the Japanese occupation and the subsequent Indonesian struggle for independence (1945-1949), where his compositions became powerful anthems inspiring national unity and resistance against colonialism. He composed over 240 songs throughout his life. Recognized posthumously, he was declared a National Hero of Indonesia in 2004. The Taman Ismail Marzuki arts center in Jakarta is named in his honor.

• Despite composing propaganda songs during the Japanese occupation (1942-1945) as required, Marzuki reportedly maintained a critical stance and refused direct requests to compose songs explicitly glorifying Japan, demonstrating quiet resistance.
• His compositions often reflected deep melancholy and longing (kerinduan), even in patriotic songs, capturing the complex emotions of the independence struggle.
• He married fellow singer Eulis Zuraidah, but the marriage ended in divorce. He later married singer and actress Nelly Adam, who survived him.
• Marzuki suffered from severe asthma throughout his life. This chronic condition significantly worsened and is recorded as the primary cause of his relatively early death at the age of 44 in Kampung Bali, Jakarta.