New Delhi / Ranchi – Shibu Soren, veteran politician, Rajya Sabha MP, and founder of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), passed away on August 4, 2025, at the age of 81. He had been undergoing treatment at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital in Delhi for over a month and had been in critical condition for the past few days.
His son and Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren shared the sad news on X (formerly Twitter), saying, “Beloved Dishom Guruji has left us. I lost everything today.”
The hospital confirmed in a statement that despite all efforts, Shibu Soren passed away peacefully on Sunday with his family by his side.
Shibu Soren was a key tribal leader and played a major role in the creation of Jharkhand in 2000. He was born in the Santhal community in what is now Jharkhand’s Ramgarh district. In 1972, he co-founded the JMM along with AK Roy and Binod Bihari Mahato, with a vision to fight for tribal rights and statehood.
He was elected to the Lok Sabha eight times and was currently serving his second term in the Rajya Sabha.
Mr. Soren served three times as Jharkhand Chief Minister, but none of his terms were completed. His first term in 2005 lasted only nine days due to failing a floor test. His later terms were also short because of political instability.
He was also part of the Union Cabinet as a Coal Minister during the Manmohan Singh government. However, he had to resign multiple times due to legal issues, including a conviction in the Shashinath Jha murder case, for which he was later acquitted by the Delhi High Court.
Shibu Soren is survived by his wife Roopi Soren, sons Hemant and Basant, and daughter Anjali. His elder son Durga Soren passed away in 2009. Hemant is the current Chief Minister of Jharkhand and also the new JMM president, while Basant is an MLA.
