Ranchi, Jharkhand : Shibu Soren, veteran tribal leader, founder of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), and former Chief Minister of Jharkhand, passed away at the age of 81 on Monday morning. He breathed his last at 8:48 AM while undergoing treatment at the nephrology department of Ganga Ram Hospital in Delhi. He had been suffering from kidney-related ailments along with multiple health complications.
His son and current Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, heartbroken over the loss, said in an emotional tribute: “Guruji has left us all. The guiding hand on my head is gone.”
Born on January 11, 1944, in Hazaribagh (then Bihar, now Jharkhand), Shibu Soren emerged as a towering figure in the tribal rights movement, especially noted for his leadership during the 1970s ‘Dhan Katni Andolan’—a struggle against the exploitation of tribal people by moneylenders and landlords. From his early days, Soren was known for championing the cause of indigenous communities.
Soren first contested elections in 1977 but faced defeat. However, he returned stronger in 1980, winning a Lok Sabha seat and beginning a long and eventful political journey, which included multiple terms as a Member of Parliament and three stints as Chief Minister of Jharkhand.
For over 38 years, he remained the face of JMM, respected as both founder and ideological guardian of the party. Known affectionately as “Guruji” across Jharkhand, Soren’s death has plunged the state into deep mourning. Political leaders, tribal organizations, and the common people alike are paying tribute to the man who spent his life fighting for the identity and rights of Jharkhand’s indigenous population.
