Shibu Soren, veteran tribal leader, former Jharkhand Chief Minister, and founder of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), passed away in New Delhi on Monday morning at the age of 81 after a prolonged illness.
His son and current Jharkhand Chief Minister, Hemant Soren, confirmed the news on social media platform X, writing, “Respected Dishom Guruji has left us all. Today, I am devastated.”
According to Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Soren had been suffering from kidney-related ailments and had suffered a stroke about six weeks ago. He had been on life support for the past month.
Widely revered as “Dishom Guru”, Shibu Soren was a towering figure in Jharkhand’s political landscape. He led the JMM for nearly four decades and served as Chief Minister of Jharkhand three times. He also represented the people in Parliament, being elected to the Lok Sabha eight times and serving two terms in the Rajya Sabha.
BJP MP Nishikant Dubey, among others, mourned his passing, saying, “An era has ended. May God grant strength to the family. Respected Shibu Soren ji made a significant contribution to the rise of JMM.”
Soren leaves behind a legacy rooted in tribal rights, regional identity, and the movement for Jharkhand’s statehood, which he championed throughout his life.
