Chandra Bientang

Chandra Bientang, an Indonesian writer, was born in Jakarta on February 17, 1989. Her journey took her through Bekasi, Muntilan, and Bogor before she returned to Jakarta. She pursued Philosophy at the University of Indonesia in 2007 and graduated in 2013.

In 2019, she made her literary debut with Dua Dini Hari, an urban thriller published by Noura Publishing (Mizan Group). That same year, her short story Anak Kucing Leti (Leti’s Kitten) was selected for the Emerging Writers Program at the Ubud Writers & Readers Festival, organized by the Mudra Swari Saraswati Foundation. The story was later translated into English and featured in Karma: A Bilingual Anthology of Indonesian Writings, alongside works from other Indonesian writers.

Chandra’s writings explore pressing social issues. Dua Dini Hari sheds light on the systemic injustices faced by Jakarta’s street children, while Anak Kucing Leti delves into the stigma surrounding women, told through the perspective of an abortion midwife’s daughter. In 2021, she continued her exploration of urban thrillers with Sang Peramal (The Fortuneteller), also published by Noura Publishing.