WHEN she spoke at the Asian Relations Conference on March 23, 1947 in New Delhi, Sarojini Naidu (1879-1946) introduced Sutan Sjahrir as “the atomic prime minister”. There was a note of admiration in the voice of the poet when she spoke of the man who was then the world’s youngest prime minister. At the time, Sjahrir had just celebrated his 38th birthday.

Atom was a good nickname. The diminutive Sjahrir shook the diplomatic world when other