Former Jharkhand Chief Minister and legendary tribal leader Shibu Soren passed away at the age of 81 after battling kidney-related complications. He had been undergoing treatment at Delhi’s Sir Ganga Ram Hospital since June 19 and was on life support for the past month. The hospital confirmed his peaceful demise at 8:56 AM on August 4. Known affectionately as ‘Dishom Guru,’ Soren was a towering figure in the tribal rights movement and played a critical role in the formation of Jharkhand as a separate state.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the hospital to personally pay his last respects and met with Shibu Soren’s son, Chief Minister Hemant Soren, and family members. In a heartfelt message on X, PM Modi described Soren as a grassroots leader devoted to the upliftment of tribal communities and the marginalized. “Pained by his passing away. My thoughts are with his family and admirers,” the Prime Minister wrote. President Droupadi Murmu and Jharkhand Governor Santosh Gangwar also offered condolences and paid tributes at the hospital.

Tributes flowed in from across the political spectrum. Hemant Soren expressed deep sorrow, saying, “I have become shunya (zero) today.” The Jharkhand government announced a three-day state mourning and adjourned the assembly sine die. Soren’s body will be flown to Ranchi, taken to the Assembly, and later to his native village, Nemra, for final rites. Bihar CM Nitish Kumar, RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, and Tejashwi Yadav hailed him as a champion of social justice whose legacy will continue to inspire generations.