Who Was Ramdas Soren? The Humble Leader Who Rose From Village Panchayat To Jharkhand Cabinet

Jharkhand Education Minister Ramdas Soren died on Friday in a private hospital in Delhi, August 15, undergoing treatment. His age was 62 years. JMM national spokesperson Kunal Sarangi declared the sad news of the demise, which shocked and saddened the state. Deep sorrow was expressed by Chief Minister Hemant Soren through a post on social media, referring to him as “Ramdas Da” and providing a personal goodbye.

From Panchayat to Power: Who was Ramdas Soren?

Ramdas Soren was born on January 1, 1963 at Ghorabandha village in East Singhbhum district in a very humble farmers’ family. Soren began his politician’s life at the grassfield level when he became the gram pradhan of Ghorabanda panchayat and quickly grew popular among the ranks of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) as a result of their openness and simplicity.

In 1990, he was elected JMM president of Jamshedpur East, his first foray into mainstream political life. By the early 2000s, he turned his attention to the Ghatshila constituency, which he would go on to represent several times. Though his prospects suffered at the 2005 election where he stood as an independent after the seat fell to Congress Soren’s determination came good. He was first elected as an MLA from Ghatshila in 2009.

Ramdas Soren was a Reliable Member of Hemant Soren’s Cabinet

Ramdas Soren found his niche in Jharkhand politics with three wins in the Ghatshila constituency, his most recent win in 2024 against BJP’s Babulal Soren, son of the late CM Champai Soren and he was granted a place in the state cabinet as Education Minister on 30 August 2024.

Over the years, colleagues have referred to him as a leader who never lost touch of his roots. He was regularly seen conversing directly with villagers, and listening to their problems, earning him the name characteristics of ‘the people’s leader’.

Ramdas Soren: A Man of Humility and Simplicity

He was known for both humility and simplicity. Soren enjoyed respect across party divides. His journey in politics, from the panchayat head of a village to cabinet minister is a testament to the hard work and resolve devoted to a public life. He had three sons and daughter. In addition to his journey in politics, Ramdas was admired for his honesty, simplicity, and work regarding social issues in rural Jharkhand. 

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