Veteran tribal leader and founder of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), Shibu Soren, passed away at the age of 81 after a prolonged battle with kidney-related ailments. Known as ‘Dishom Guru’—the revered leader of the land—Soren’s demise marks the end of a transformative era in India’s regional and tribal politics.

Soren had been under medical supervision for over a month before his passing. Widely recognised as the architect of the Jharkhand movement, his death has left a deep void in Indian political history.

From Hostel Life to Political Awakening

Born on January 11, 1944, in Nemra village of Ramgarh (then Bihar, now Jharkhand), Shibu Soren was the son of Sobaran Manjhi, a respected local teacher. His grandfather, Charan Manjhi, served as a tax tehsildar during the British period under the Ramgarh king Kamakhya Narayan Singh. Financially, the family was considered relatively stable. As a young boy, Soren and his elder brother Rajaram were enrolled in a hostel on Gola Road to pursue their education.

But his life took a dramatic turn in 1957 when his father was murdered near Lukaiyatand village while delivering supplies to his sons. This tragedy, which occurred when Soren was just 15, profoundly impacted him and became the defining moment that led him toward activism and later into politics.

Emergence of a Tribal Leader

Following the loss of his father, Soren’s interest in academics faded. He came into contact with Forward Bloc leader Lal Kedar Nath Sinha and briefly worked as a porter during railway construction before turning his attention toward activism. He began rallying tribal communities against oppressive moneylenders. One of his most notable early initiatives was the “Dhankatni Movement,” where he and his followers would harvest paddy from landlords’ fields, guarded by tribal youth with bows and arrows.

This grassroots resistance earned him the title of Dishom Guru, meaning “Guru of the land” in Santhali. The movement laid the foundation for a much larger political awakening among Jharkhand’s tribal communities.

Formation of JMM and Political Ascent

In 1973, Soren co-founded the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha alongside Marxist trade unionist A.K. Roy and Kurmi-Mahto leader Binod Bihari Mahto during a public gathering at Dhanbad’s Golf Ground. The JMM rapidly emerged as the dominant force advocating for a separate tribal state, drawing support from across the Chotanagpur and Santhal Pargana regions.

By the 1980s, Soren had become a household name. In the 1980 Lok Sabha elections, he contested and won the Dumka seat under the JMM banner. Notably, his campaign was supported by the Dishom Dadi initiative, which asked every tribal household to donate 250 grams of rice and three rupees toward the movement.

Over the years, Soren won the Dumka Lok Sabha seat eight times—in 1980, 1989, 1991, 1996, 2002, 2004, 2009, and 2014—and was elected to the Rajya Sabha thrice. His presence in Parliament amplified the voice of tribal India on a national stage.

Role in Jharkhand’s Formation and Chief Ministerial Tenures

Soren’s decades-long agitation for a separate tribal state culminated in the formation of Jharkhand on November 15, 2000. After the state’s creation, he became its Chief Minister three times—albeit for short terms due to coalition instability.

• First tenure: March 2 to March 11, 2005

   

• Second tenure: August 27, 2008, to January 12, 2009

   

• Third tenure: December 30, 2009, to May 31, 2010

   

At the Centre and in Controversy

Shibu Soren also held key roles in the central government. He was Union Coal Minister during three separate stints between 2004 and 2006. However, his time at the Centre was marred by legal battles.

In July 2004, an arrest warrant was issued in connection with the 1975 Chirudih massacre, in which he was the main accused in the killing of 11 people. Soren went into hiding but was later arrested and granted bail. He was reappointed as a Union Minister in November 2004 and acquitted of all charges in March 2008.

His legal troubles escalated in 2006 when he was convicted in the sensational 1994 Shashinath Jha murder case. The CBI alleged that Jha, Soren’s former secretary, was killed because he knew of an alleged payoff deal between the Congress and JMM during the 1993 no-confidence motion in Parliament. Though initially convicted, Soren successfully appealed, and the Supreme Court upheld his acquittal in 2018.

Surviving Political Violence

In June 2007, Soren narrowly escaped an assassination attempt when bombs were hurled at his convoy near Dumaria village in Deoghar. He was en route to Dumka jail after a court appearance in Giridih. The incident underscored the dangers he faced as a political leader operating in a volatile environment.

Party Leadership and Legacy

Soren led the JMM as its president for 38 years until April 2025, when he was designated as the party’s founding patron. His son, Hemant Soren, who had long served as executive president, succeeded him as the party chief. Under their leadership, the JMM became a core component of the opposition INDIA bloc at the national level.

Family and Successors

Soren is survived by his wife Roopi, daughter Anjani (who heads the party’s Odisha unit), and two sons—Hemant and Basant. His eldest son, Durga Soren, passed away in May 2009. Hemant Soren, the current Chief Minister of Jharkhand, has inherited his father’s political mantle, while Basant serves as a legislator.

For many across Jharkhand and tribal India, Shibu Soren remains a symbol of resistance, identity, and empowerment—a towering figure whose contributions have defined a generation and inspired many more.