(Image source from: x.com/JmmJharkhand)
Shibu Soren, who once served as Chief Minister of Jharkhand and was a key supporter of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), passed away on Monday at a hospital in Delhi at the age of 81 after a long illness. Soren was currently a member of the Rajya Sabha. His son, the present Chief Minister Heman Soren, shared the news of his passing, expressing, "Our respected Dishoom Guru is no longer with us. I feel a great loss today." The JMM leader had stepped back from active politics lately and was hospitalized in late June due to kidney problems. His health declined significantly after experiencing a stroke, and he had been reliant on life support for the past month.
Revered as 'Dishoom Guru' (Great Leader) by his followers, Shibu Soren played a significant role in Indian politics, having held the position of Chief Minister of Jharkhand on three different occasions and served as a Union Minister as well. As a towering figure in the tribal community and one of the JMM's founders, Soren led the party for close to forty years. He became its president in 1987 and held that post firmly until April 2025. He was a key player in the movement advocating for a separate Jharkhand state and served as Chief Minister three times—first in March 2005, then from August 2008 to January 2009, and lastly from December 2009 to May 2010—but he never finished a full five-year term due to political instability. His initial term in 2005 lasted just nine days because he did not have enough support.
Soren held the position of Union Cabinet Minister for Coal during three different periods from 2004 to 2006. He was a member of the Lok Sabha six times, representing it between 1980 and 2005, and was elected to the Rajya Sabha three times. Born on January 11, 1944, into a Santal tribal family in Nemra village in what is now Jharkhand, he lost his father as a child when he was murdered by thugs working for moneylenders. This event ignited his early involvement in politics, and he became well-known as a strong defender of tribal rights, working for land rights for the tribal community and resisting unfair treatment from landlords. At just 18 years old, he created the Santhal Navyuvak Sangh. In 1972, he teamed up with Bengali Marxist trade union leader AK Roy and Kurmi-Mahato leader Binod Bihari Mahato to establish the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM). The main goal of the party was to achieve a separate state for the tribal community—a goal that was finally realized in 2000 when Jharkhand was formed.
Shri Shibu Soren Ji was a grassroots leader who rose through the ranks of public life with unwavering dedication to the people. He was particularly passionate about empowering tribal communities, the poor and downtrodden. Pained by his passing away. My thoughts are with his…
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 4, 2025
Soren's journey in politics was filled with disputes and court issues, which included claims of his connection to the 1975 Chirudih massacre and the 1994 killing of his personal secretary, but he was later found not guilty. He was also accused of having excessive wealth. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was one of the leaders who paid tribute to Shibu Soren, while condolences came from various political groups and others. PM Modi acknowledged Soren for his strong commitment to people and called him a leader who worked hard to support those in need. "Shri Shibu Soren Ji was a leader from the ground up, who dedicated himself fully to the public. He cared a lot about helping tribal groups and the less fortunate. I am saddened by his death. My thoughts are with his family and those who respected him. I spoke to Jharkhand Chief Minister Shri Hemant Soren Ji to share my condolences. Om Shanti," the PM wrote on Twitter.
