Samanhoedi

Samanhudi, originally named Sudarno Nadi, was born in 1878 in Sondakan, Laweyan, Surakarta. He was the son of Haji Ahmad Zein, a batik merchant, and the grandson of Kiai Kartowikoro, who was also engaged in trade.

He received Islamic education both in his hometown and under the guidance of Kiai Djodjermo in Surabaya, while also attending a native primary school (Inlandsche School).

He became poor sometime after 1922 because his business went bankrupt. In 1940, Parada Harap wrote in Tjahaja Timur that he "lived in poverty and suffering. Indonesian government then gave an allowance starting in 1955 due to his activism and called him "independence pioneers". He died in Klaten on 28 December 1956.

At the age of twenty, Sudarno married Suginah, the daughter of Kiai Badjuri, after which he adopted the name Wirjowikoro. He later entered into another marriage with Marbingah, who was reputed to be of Mangkunegaran royal descent.

From both of his marriages, he had 6 sons and 3 daughters: Sawab Tjokrowiguno, Ny. Waginah Atmohartono, Sajid Atmosukanto, Sofjan, Sahlan Sastromartono, Slamet Samsulaman. Wagiya h Tjitrohartono, Warsinah Puspoatmodjo, and Samsu Zein.

Following his primary education, Sudarno entered the batik trade, continuing the occupation of his predecessors. His enterprise reportedly achieved an average daily profit of around 800 gulden and expanded with branches in Solo, Bandung, Purwokerto, Surabaya, and Banyuwangi. This expansion required frequent travel, through which he established a wide network of contacts.

In 1904, using the name Wirjowikoro, he traveled to Mecca to perform the hajj. While in Jeddah, he reportedly had a dream in which his tongue extended around the world. A local dream interpreter suggested this signified that he would become an important leader in his homeland. Upon returning, he adopted the name Samanhudi, or Haji Samanhudi, and, influenced by both the interpretation of his dream and his encounters with Islamic activists, he turned to social and political activity, establishing the Sarekat Dagang Islam (SDI, Islamic Trade Association). Externally, the native entrepreneurs were displeased with the Chinese in a unified cooperative-type association called Kong Sing in Surakarta, so they helped Samanhudi founded the SDI. The founders were R.M. Tirtodisurjo, Sumowardojo, Hardjosumarto, Martodikoro, Witjotirto, Sukir, Suwandi, Suropranoto, and Djerman. Although the reported founding year varies between 1905 and 1912, according to Muljono and Sutrisno, most likely there was already organization with the same name led by Tirtodisurjo in Bogor, and the one Samanhudi led in Surakarta was originally only a branch.

On 25 January 1913, in a Sarekat Islam congress in Surabaya, Samanhudi was elected as chairman.