Profile of J.S. Khairen, a Bestselling Author Who Boldly Critiques the Government

Jombang Santani Khairen, who is more commonly known as JS Khairen, is a young and prolific writer admired by the millennial generation. Born in Padang in 1991, he grew up in a family dedicated to literacy. His father is a senior journalist and a former editor-in-chief, while his mother is a teacher.

This environment became the strong foundation for his love of writing, which later led Khairen to pursue an education at the Faculty of Economics, University of Indonesia, majoring in Management. During his college years, not only did his studies attract attention, but also his involvement in journalism, including serving as a teaching assistant.

Since his first novel 'Karnoe: Sejarah Tak Tertulis di Balik Nama Besar' in 2013, Khairen has not stopped creating. His name began to attract public attention after releasing a collection of short stories 'Rinduku Sederas Hujan Sore Itu' (2017), one of which went viral for discussing the discourse on the new capital of Nusantara.

His fame soared further with novels such as 'Kami (Bukan) Sarjana Kertas' and 'Kami (Bukan) Jongos Berdasi', which successfully became bestsellers at Gramedia. To date, he has published dozens of fiction and non-fiction works across genres, including drama, political satire, fantasy, horror, and adventure. His writing style, which is humorous, humanistic, and often ends up as inspirational quotes, makes his works easily liked by various audiences.

Khairen is not only known as a productive writer but also as a literary figure who cares about society. He actively shares knowledge through Telegram J.S Khairen - Readers Club, regularly conducts writing workshops, and often holds giveaways for his readers. In 2023, he also ventured into acting through the film HUMBA DREAMS, voicing social concerns through his artistic works.

Although living in the world of family and literature, he does not turn a blind eye to various public issues. One example is his presence at the demonstration against the 2024 Regional Election Bill in front of the DPR Building on August 22, 2024, alongside public figure Andovi Da Lopez. In that action, they both voiced their rejection of the bill, which is considered to reduce direct public participation in regional head elections.

Now he is one of the loudest critics of the DPR's performance and always provides information related to demonstrations and other matters. Keep up the spirit, J.S. Khairen!