Jharkhand observed a day of state mourning on August 16. Ramdas Soren was appointed to the cabinet in 2024. Chief Minister Hemant Soren and Governor Santosh Kumar Gangwar were among the leaders who expressed condolences.
Ranchi (Jharkhand): Jharkhand School Education Minister Ramdas Soren died on Friday, August 15 while undergoing treatment at a hospital in Delhi, at the age of 62. His mortal remains reached Ranchi on Saturday morning. Chief Minister Hemant Soren confirmed the news in a post on X, writing, “You shouldn’t have left like this, Ramdas Da… Final Johar, Dada.” Jharkhand Governor Santosh Kumar Gangwar also expressed grief over the minister’s demise. “I am deeply saddened to hear the news of the sudden demise of Shri Ramdas Soren, Jharkhand’s Minister of School Education and Literacy. His passing is an irreparable loss to the state. I extend my heartfelt condolences to his bereaved family and pray that God grants them the strength to bear this immense grief,” he posted on X.
Ramdas Soren was on life support after being airlifted to Delhi on August 2. According to a statement issued that day, he was currently in a critical condition, with a multidisciplinary team of senior specialists providing intensive medical care. The minister sustained serious injuries after falling in the bathroom at his residence on August 2. Before being shifted to Delhi, he was admitted to a hospital in Jamshedpur. Congress leader Rajesh Thakur also condoled the demise of Jharkhand’s education minister Ramdas Soren, calling his demise an irreparable loss. Thakur said Soren was a straightforward, simple, polite, and honest person and was working sincerely in the field of education.
“This is sad news for us and an irreparable loss for the entire state. He was a straightforward, simple, polite, and honest person who worked sincerely in the field of education. He was making efforts to bring about better reforms in education… He suddenly collapsed and then remained in the hospital for a long time, but when the news of his demise came, it was certainly sad news for us.”
One-Day State Mourning
The Jharkhand government has announced a day of state mourning on Saturday following the death of Education Minister Ramdas Soren, according to an official release. During this period, the National Flag will be flown at half-mast across all government buildings in the state, and no official programs will be held. Soren’s personal secretary, Ajay Sinha, informed that the minister’s body will be taken to his Assembly constituency, Ghatshila, where it will be placed at Mau Bhandar Maidan and later at the JMM camp office for people to pay their respects.
A prominent grassroots politician and a senior leader of the JMM, Ramdas Soren enjoyed immense respect among tribal communities and party cadres. Known for his commitment to public service, he leaves behind a legacy of tireless work for the people. Born on January 1, 1963, in Ghorabanda village of East Singhbhum district, Soren came from a modest farming family. His political journey began at the local level as the gram pradhan of Ghorabanda panchayat, from where he steadily rose to become an influential minister in the Hemant Soren-led cabinet.
In 1990, he was appointed JMM’s Jamshedpur East president. Later, he shifted focus to Ghatshila and prepared to contest the 2005 Assembly elections. However, as the seat was allotted to alliance partner Congress, he entered the fray as an independent candidate but was unsuccessful. A father of three sons and a daughter, Soren secured his first Assembly victory from Ghatshila in 2009. Although he lost the constituency in 2014 to BJP’s Lakshman Tudu, he bounced back in 2019, reclaiming the seat. He strengthened his position further in 2024, defeating BJP’s Babulal Soren, son of former Chief Minister Champai Soren. On August 30, 2024, following Champai Soren’s resignation as minister and MLA, Ramdas Soren was inducted into the state Cabinet, marking the peak of his decades-long political career.
(With inputs from ANI)