Luhut Pandjaitan is son to father Bonar Pandjaitan who became an executive at Caltex Petroleum Corp. and mother Siti Farida Naiborhu. Pandjaitan was born in North Sumatera, Toba Samosir, in Indonesia on 28th September 1947. Pandjaitan is now the Coordinating Ministry for Maritime Affairs and Investment. In his early days, Pandjaitan was taught by his mom to always be honest, study hard, and work hard. He moved to Riau Province when he was three years old because his father Bonar Pandjaitan worked in Caltex Petroleum Corp (now Chevron) and attended Yayasan Cendana Elementary School owned by Caltex and attended his junior high school in Pekanbaru. Pandjaitan is a keen swimmer and once represented Riau at the national sports event in 1962. But during his childhood's successive athletic experience, Pandjaitan likes to misbehave as he likes to fight, his parents sent him to a school in Bandung, West Java. Then, Pandjaitan attended SMAK 1 PENABUR High School in Bandung and met his future wife — Devi Simatupang. There in Bandung Luhut were the founders of Indonesian Student Action Front (KAPI) which protested against the Old Order, the President Soekarno, and the Communist Party of Indonesia. He then took a Masters degree in Public Administration abroad, at George Washington University, United States.

Education:

• Masters in Public Administration, George Washington University, Washington DC, United States of America;
• National Defense University, United States of America;
• Indonesian Armed Forces Academy (AKABRI), recipient of the Adhi Makayasa award for the best graduate of the Army Military Academy (1970);
• Infantry Branch Basic Course (SUSSARCABIF), Best Graduated (1971);
• Command Course, Best Graduate, Won Sangkur Silver Komando Award (1971);
• Airborne Course, Best Graduate, Won the Golden Umbrella Trophy Award (1971);
• Advanced Course for Officers/SUSLAPA I (1976);
• Advanced Course for Officers/SUSLAPA II (1978);
• Army Command Staff School (SESKOAD);
• ABRI Command and Staff School (SESKO ABRI);
• National Resilience Institute (LEMHANNAS).