RANCHI, Aug 4 — Shibu Soren, veteran tribal leader and three-time Chief Minister of Jharkhand, passed away on Monday at the age of 81 after prolonged illness. Fondly known as “Dishom Guru,” Soren died at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital in Delhi, where he had been receiving treatment for kidney-related complications for over a month. He was on ventilator support and in critical condition.
His son, Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, confirmed the death in a post on X, writing, “Respected Dishom Guruji has left us all… I have become ‘shunya’ (zero) today.”
Born on January 11, 1944, in Nemra village—now in Jharkhand—Soren emerged from modest tribal roots to become one of the most influential political voices in eastern India. He founded the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) in 1972, spearheading a long and arduous struggle for the creation of a separate Jharkhand state to represent the aspirations of the Santhal and other tribal communities.
Soren is survived by his wife Roopi Soren and three children, including sons Hemant and Basant, both active in state politics.
Known for his deep connection with the grassroots, Soren served as Chief Minister of Jharkhand in three short but politically significant stints—in 2005, 2008–09, and 2009–10. A long-time Member of Parliament from Dumka, he was also elected to the Rajya Sabha and served as Union Coal Minister in the UPA government in 2004.
His political career began in earnest when he won the Dumka Lok Sabha seat in 1980, after an unsuccessful run in 1977. He went on to serve multiple terms in Parliament, and in 2004, joined the Union Cabinet as Coal Minister. However, his tenure was cut short due to an arrest warrant in an older case, forcing his resignation. He was later reinstated after securing bail.
In 2005, Soren briefly held the post of Chief Minister but resigned after just nine days upon failing to prove his majority in the assembly. He returned to power in 2008 and again in 2009, leading fragile coalitions.
Despite his achievements, Soren’s political journey was not without controversy. In 2006, he was convicted in the 1994 abduction and murder case of his former secretary, Shashinath Jha—a case connected to the 1993 JMM bribery scandal involving efforts to save the Narasimha Rao government. He became the first sitting Union Minister to be convicted of murder. However, the Delhi High Court acquitted him in 2007, citing lack of credible evidence and flaws in the lower court’s verdict.
Despite legal and political turbulence, Soren’s mass appeal remained strong, particularly among Jharkhand’s tribal communities. Under his leadership, the JMM solidified its position as a dominant regional force, a legacy his family continues to uphold in the state’s political landscape.
Condolences poured in from across the political spectrum as Jharkhand mourned the loss of a leader who not only shaped the state’s political narrative but embodied its very demand for identity and recognition.
