Ranchi : Former Jharkhand Chief Minister and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) patriarch Shibu Soren passed away at the age of 81 on Monday. He breathed his last at a hospital in Delhi, where he had been undergoing treatment.
The news was confirmed by his son and incumbent Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren.
आदरणीय दिशोम गुरुजी हम सभी को छोड़कर चले गए हैं।
आज मैं शून्य हो गया हूँ…
— Hemant Soren (@HemantSorenJMM) August 4, 2025
A towering figure in tribal politics and the architect of the separate Jharkhand movement, Soren served three non-consecutive terms as the state’s Chief Minister — first briefly in 2005, followed by stints from 2008–2009 and 2009–2010. He was also a Member of Parliament, representing the Dumka Lok Sabha constituency, and served as India’s Union Coal Minister.
His political career, however, was not without controversy. In 2006, Soren was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment in the 1994 kidnapping and murder case of his personal secretary Shashinath Jha. The Delhi High Court later acquitted him in 2007, overturning the earlier verdict.
Soren, popularly known as ‘Guruji’, was one of the founding members of the JMM and a key figure in the decades-long movement that led to the formation of Jharkhand as a separate state in 2000.
President Droupadi Murmu paid tribute, calling his demise “a big loss in the space of social justice.” In a post on X, she wrote, “He championed the cause of tribal identity and formation of the state of Jharkhand… His emphasis on the welfare of tribal communities will always be remembered.”
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also condoled Soren’s death, describing him as a “grassroots leader” dedicated to the upliftment of the tribal and marginalized sections of society. “Pained by his passing away. My thoughts are with his family and admirers,” he posted on X, adding that he had spoken with CM Hemant Soren to express his condolences.
Shibu Soren’s demise marks the end of an era in Jharkhand politics, leaving behind a legacy deeply rooted in tribal rights, grassroots leadership, and the birth of a state.
