FORMER JHARKHAND CHIEF MINISTER SHIBU SOREN, AGED 81, PASSED AWAY

Former Jharkhand Chief Minister Shibu Soren, aged 81, passed away on August 4, 2025, at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital in New Delhi, after a prolonged battle with chronic kidney disease, diabetes, heart complications, and a recent stroke. He had been hospitalized since around June 19 and was on life-support for about a month before succumbing peacefully with his family at his side.

A towering tribal leader: the legacy of “Dishom Guru”

Known affectionately as “Dishom Guru” by the Santhal community, Shibu Soren was a founding figure of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) and an enduring voice for tribal and marginalized communities. Born on January 11, 1944, in Nemra village (then in Bihar, now Jharkhand), he embarked on his activism after the tragic murder of his father, mobilizing tribals through the Santhal Navyuvak Sangh at age 18.

Soren played a pivotal role in the decades-long struggle for a separate Jharkhand state, culminating in state formation in 2000. Over nearly four decades, he represented Dumka in the Lok Sabha multiple times, served three short terms as Jharkhand Chief Minister (2005, 2008–09, 2009–10), and held the Coal Ministry in the Union Cabinet under Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on three occasions between 2004 and 2006.

His political career also included legal challenges: in 2006, he was convicted in the high-profile murder case of his former secretary, subsequently resigning from ministerial office. However, the Delhi High Court later overturned the conviction in 2007.

National leaders pay tributes – PM Modi at the forefront

Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the national condolences, calling Soren “a grassroots leader who rose through the ranks of public life with unwavering dedication to the people.” Modi highlighted Soren’s passion for empowering tribal communities, the poor, and the downtrodden. He expressed deep sorrow, extended his condolences to Soren’s family and admirers, and confirmed speaking with his son, Hemant Soren, the current Jharkhand Chief Minister.

Modi reportedly visited the hospital to personally offer respects and comfort Hemant Soren, underlining the personal and political weight of the loss.

Broader political reactions   across party lines

The outpouring of grief crossed party divides:

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh recalled Soren as a leader deeply connected to “land and the people,” lauding his lifelong fight for weaker sections and tribal rights .

Home Minister Amit Shah paid tribute, emphasizing Soren’s humble demeanour and decades-long work for tribal upliftmen. .

Opposition leaders, including Rahul Gandhi (Congress Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha), Pramod Tiwari, and MK Stalin (Tamil Nadu CM), paid homage to his role in Jharkhand’s statehood movement and social justice legacy .

Lalu Prasad Yadav described Soren’s death as “a great loss for politics,” praising him as a leader for tribals and Dalits.

NCP MP Supriya Sule, Trinamool leader Abhishek Banerjee, Congress deputy CM DK Shivakumar, and Aam Aadmi Party MP Sanjay Singh remembered him as an enduring symbol of tribal empowerment and justice.

President Droupadi Murmu, herself from a tribal background, termed his passing a “big loss in the space of social justice,” affirming how much his leadership shaped Jharkhand and tribal polity in India.

Political and public significance

Soren’s death marks the end of an influential era in Jharkhand politics. As JMM patriarch, he shaped the party’s identity since its inception in 1972 and led it until April 2025, when he stepped down, making way for younger leadership under Hemant Soren.

His passing ignited tributes from political veterans and grassroots supporters alike, with Jharkhand’s Governor also expressing condolences.

On the day of his death, Rajya Sabha proceedings were adjourned, a mark of respect for the recently-elected sitting MP. JMM offices in Ranchi observed a silent tribute with the party flag at half-mast, highlighting his symbolic stature in the party and state.

Remembering a complex, transformative legacy

Shibu Soren’s life intertwined grassroots militancy, political activism, statecraft, and controversy. From early activism in tribal land movements to national politics, cabinet roles, legal challenges, and

the fight for statehood, his journey encapsulated the political evolution of Jharkhand. His legacy resides in his mobilizing of the Santhal identity, his leadership in the statehood struggle, his multiple tenures in office, and his ability to channel tribal aspirations into political power.

As PM Modi and others emphasized, Soren’s life was defined by his unwavering dedication to empowering disenfranchised communities especially tribals and the poor. That commitment earned him reverence both locally and nationally. Yet, controversies including criminal prosecution revealed the complexities behind his influence. Overall, his passing invites reflection on both his transformative contributions and the turbulent political landscape he inhabited.