Ranchi, October 2026: Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Wednesday expressed profound grief over the death of his mother, Rupi Soren, describing her as his biggest source of emotional strength and support following the demise of his father, veteran tribal leader and former Chief Minister Shibu Soren.
Rupi Soren, around 80, died at Hill View Hospital on Bariatu Road in Ranchi, where she had been undergoing treatment for a prolonged illness. Her condition deteriorated on Wednesday, following which doctors placed her on life support. Doctors Deepak Gupta and Ujjwal Rai later confirmed her death.
Reacting to the loss, Hemant Soren shared an emotional message on X, recalling the important role his mother had played in his life after the death of his father.
“Baba ke jaane ke baad maa hi meri sabse badi chhaav thi. Aaj woh chhaav bhi prakriti ki godh mein sama gayi. Maa....” he wrote.
The message, which means, “After Baba’s passing, my mother was my biggest source of shelter and strength. Today, that shelter too has merged into the lap of nature,” reflected the personal loss suffered by the Chief Minister and his family.
The death of Rupi Soren comes around a year after the passing of Shibu Soren, who died in Delhi on August 4, 2025. His death was a major loss for the Soren family and the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM). Following his death, Rupi Soren continued to remain an important emotional pillar for the family.
Rupi Soren married Shibu Soren on January 1, 1962. She stood by him throughout his long political and social journey and shouldered the responsibilities of the family while he remained deeply involved in the movement for a separate Jharkhand state.
Shibu Soren was one of the prominent leaders of the Jharkhand movement and among the founding figures of the JMM. He also served as Chief Minister of Jharkhand and remained a major political figure in the state for several decades.
The JMM expressed deep sorrow over Rupi Soren’s death and described her as a symbol of struggle, sacrifice and patience. The party said she had remained steadfast alongside Shibu Soren during his long public life and continued to embody the same strength after his death.
The party described her demise as an irreparable loss for Jharkhand and the country. It said her absence would be deeply painful for Hemant Soren, his family and the people of the state.
Rupi Soren’s life was closely intertwined with the political and social journey of the Soren family. While Shibu Soren remained engaged in the Jharkhand movement and public life, she managed the family and stood by him through periods of struggle and uncertainty.
Her death has therefore marked not only a personal loss for Hemant Soren and his family but also the passing of a figure associated with the formative years of the Soren family’s political journey in Jharkhand.
