Shibu Soren, Rajya Sabha MP, former Union Minister, ex-Jharkhand Chief Minister and one of the founding figures of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), passed away on Sunday at the age of 81. He had been undergoing treatment at Delhi's Sir Ganga Ram Hospital for over a month and had been critically ill in recent days.
His son, Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, shared the news on X, writing, “Beloved Dishom Guruji has left us. I lost everything today.”
The hospital confirmed in a statement that Soren had been admitted on June 19 under the care of nephrologist Dr A.K. Bhalla. “Despite the best efforts of our multidisciplinary medical team, Mr Shibu Soren passed away peacefully on 4th August, 2025, with his family at the bedside,” it said, offering condolences to his family and the people of Jharkhand.
Over a political career spanning four decades, Soren was elected to the Lok Sabha eight times and served two terms in the Rajya Sabha, the second of which was ongoing. Born into the Santhal community in present-day Jharkhand’s Ramgarh district, he co-founded the JMM in 1972 alongside AK Roy and Binod Bihari Mahato, becoming a central figure in the movement for Jharkhand’s statehood, achieved in 2000.
Elected first to Parliament in 1980 from Dumka, Soren turned the seat into a party stronghold until his defeat in 2019. He held office as Jharkhand’s Chief Minister three times, but each term was short-lived due to coalition shifts. His stints as Union Minister were also cut short by legal troubles, including a conviction in 2006 in the Shashinath Jha murder case, for which he was later acquitted.
President Droupadi Murmu described Soren’s death as a major loss in the struggle for social justice, remembering his role in promoting tribal welfare. Prime Minister Narendra Modi called him a “grassroots leader” dedicated to uplifting tribal communities and the marginalised.
Soren is survived by his wife, Roopi, sons Hemant and Basant, and daughter Anjali. Another son, Durga Soren, passed away in 2009. Hemant now leads the JMM as president, while Basant serves as an MLA.