Former Jharkhand CM Shibu Soren dies at 81

Shibu Soren, former chief minister of Jharkhand, passed away on Monday (August 4) at the age of 81.

He had been undergoing treatment at Delhi’s Sir Ganga Ram Hospital for kidney-related ailments since the last week of June, and his condition had turned critical over the past few days. His death was confirmed by his son, Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren.

PM Modi pays tribute

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday paid tributes to former Jharkhand chief minister Shibu Soren, saying he was particularly passionate about empowering tribal communities, and the poor and downtrodden.

Modi spoke to the prominent tribal leader's son and Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren and expressed his condolences.

He said on X, "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 family and admirers. Spoke to Jharkhand CM Shri Hemant Soren Ji and expressed condolences. Om Shanti."

Also Read: Shibu Soren turns 81, JMM workers celebrate occasion

Pivotal figure in Jharkhand movement: Congress

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Monday condoled the passing away of former Jharkhand chief minister Shibu Soren, and said he was the pivotal figure in the movement that led to the creation of the state exactly 25 years ago.

In a post on X, Ramesh said, "'Guruji' Shibu Soren, who has just passed away, was not just an MP and three-time CM. He was THE pivotal figure in the movement that led to the creation of Jharkhand exactly 25 years ago. He was truly a legend whose passion for social and economic justice was inspirational. He contributed heavily to the making of the Forest Rights Act, 2006 and the Land Acquisition Act, 2013," the Congress general secretary in-charge communications said.

Continuous advocacy for tribals’ rights

Shibu Soren, the veteran tribal leader who played a key role in Jharkhand's creation and founded the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), leaves behind a legacy that reshaped the country's politics.

The death of 81-year-old Soren marks the end of a political era that saw a tribal movement rise to national prominence.

Also Read: Hemant Soren takes oath as 14th CM of Jharkhand

Born on January 11, 1944, in Ramgarh district's Nemra village (then in Bihar, now in Jharkhand), Soren, who was popularly known as 'Dishom Guru' (leader of the land) and patriarch of JMM, is one of the most enduring political figures in the country's tribal and regional political landscape.

His political life was defined by continuous advocacy for the rights of tribals.

Early struggles

According to Soren's family, his early life was marked by personal tragedy and deep socio-economic struggles.

Soren was 15 years old when his father, Shobaran Soren, was allegedly killed by moneylenders in Lukaiyatand forest, some 16 km from Gola block headquarters on November 27, 1957. This left a deep impact on him and became a catalyst for his future political activism.

JMM founded in 1973

In 1973, Soren co-founded the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) along with Bengali Marxist trade unionist AK Roy and Kurmi-Mahto leader Binod Bihari Mahto during a public meeting at Golf Ground Dhanbad.

The JMM soon became the primary political voice for the demand for a separate tribal state and got support across the Chotanagpur and Santhal Pargana regions.

Also Read: Jharkhand Assembly election 2024: Major faces in the ‘family-dominated’ polls

Soren’s grassroots mobilisation against feudal exploitation is said to have shaped him into a tribal icon.

After decades of agitation, steered by him and others, the demand for a separate state was finally fulfilled with the formation of Jharkhand on November 15, 2000.

Not confined to state politics

Soren’s influence was not confined to state politics.

He was elected several times to the lower house of Parliament from Dumka – the eighth time between May 2014-2019 as a member of the 16th Lok Sabha. He was elected to the Rajya Sabha in June 2020.

As a key figure in the UPA government, he served as Union Coal Minister from May 23 to July 24, 2004; November 27, 2004 to March 2, 2005; and January 29 to November 2006.

However, his ministerial stints at the Centre were overshadowed by serious legal challenges.

Also Read: Hemant Soren’s days as Jharkhand CM are numbered; what, and who next?

In July 2004, an arrest warrant was issued against him in connection with the 1975 Chirudih massacre case, in which he was named the main accused in the killing of 11 people.

He went underground briefly before being arrested.

After spending time in judicial custody, he was granted bail in September 2004 and re-inducted into the Union Cabinet in November. Later, a court in March 2008 absolved him of all charges.

Legal woes

His legal woes didn’t end there.

On November 28, 2006, Soren, along with others, was convicted in the sensational 1994 kidnapping and murder case of his former personal secretary, Shashinath Jha.

The CBI alleged that Jha was murdered in Ranchi because he possessed knowledge about a political payoff deal between the Congress and JMM during a no-confidence motion against the Narasimha Rao government in 1993.

The case drew nationwide attention, though Soren later successfully appealed the conviction. The Supreme Court in April 2018 upheld Soren’s acquittal in the case.

Towering figure

Despite these controversies, Soren remained a towering figure in Jharkhand’s political sphere.

He served as Chief Minister of Jharkhand three times — in March 2005 (for just 10 days from March 2 to March 11), August 27, 2008 to January 12, 2009, and from December 30, 2009 to May 31, 2010.

Each term was short-lived due to the fragile nature of coalition politics in the state.

Assassination attempt

In June 2007, Soren survived an assassination attempt when bombs were hurled at his convoy near Dumaria village in Deoghar district while he was being escorted to jail in Dumka, after appearing in a court in Giridih, underlining the high stakes and volatile environment surrounding his political life.

Yet, his political dominance in Jharkhand politics endured, both through his personal appeal and through his party, which he continued to lead as founding patron.

Also Read: Jharkhand's minefield: Of crime, punishment, and Sorens' power games

Soren served as the JMM’s chief for 38 years until April 2025, when he was made the party’s founding patron. His son, Hemant Soren, who had served as executive president, was elected JMM president.

The party is currently a member of the opposition INDIA bloc at the national level.

Personal life

Shibu Soren's personal life has also been closely tied to his political narrative.

He is survived by wife Roopi Soren, three sons, and daughter Anjani, who is the party’s Odisha unit head.

His elder son Durga Soren died in May 2009.

Also Read: After Maharashtra, will it be Soren's Jharkhand next?

Another son Hemant Soren has carried forward the family’s political legacy and currently serves as the Chief Minister of Jharkhand, having held the position across multiple terms.

His youngest son Basant Soren is a legislator.

For many in Jharkhand, Shibu Soren remains a symbol of their long-fought struggle for identity and self-rule—a legacy that continues through the next generation.

(With agency inputs)