Literature and drama create true artists: Anupam Kher
The a Padma Bhushan awardee was speaking after inaugurating the Banaras Literature Festival-4 on Friday at Hotel Taj in Nadesar, by lighting the ceremonial lamp.
Legendary tribal leader and former Jharkhand Chief Minister Dishom Guru Shibu Soren has been posthumously awarded the Padma Bhushan for his contribution to public service and the tribal rights movement. The Union Government announced the honour on Sunday as part of the Padma Awards 2026.
Soren, who passed away in 2025 at the age of 81, is regarded as one of the principal architects of Jharkhand’s statehood and a towering figure in Adivasi politics.
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Born in 1944 in Nemra village of Ramgarh district, Soren entered public life after the killing of his father in a land dispute when he was just 13. He mobilised villagers against exploitation by moneylenders and landlords, laying the foundation for a mass movement in the Santhal region.
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In the early 1970s, he co-founded the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), which became the political backbone of the separate state movement. Popularly known as Dishom Guru, Soren emerged as the most recognisable face of tribal assertion in eastern India.
His struggle culminated in the creation of Jharkhand in 2000. He later served three terms as Chief Minister in 2005, 2008 and 2009, and represented Dumka in the Lok Sabha eight times. He was also a Rajya Sabha member and served as Union Coal Minister in the UPA government.
Leaders across party lines paid tribute, describing the Padma Bhushan as recognition of his lifelong fight for tribal dignity and social justice.
While his administrative record drew mixed reviews, his historical importance in Jharkhand’s political journey remains undisputed. For many, he was less a ruler and more the voice of the dispossessed.
The Padma Bhushan brings national recognition to a legacy already deeply rooted in Jharkhand’s collective memory as that of a movement leader who transformed resistance into statehood.
#WATCH | Ranchi: On Jharkhand's former Chief Minister Shibu Soren (posthumously) being honoured with the Padma Bhushan, his son and JMM MLA Basant Soren says, "I thank the central government for taking this decision…The government should also think about honouring him with the… pic.twitter.com/l7Xs2FdEJP
— ANI (@ANI) January 25, 2026
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