Rupi Soren, mother of Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren, dies at 80

Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren's mother, Rupi Soren, died at a private hospital on Wednesday evening. She was 80. Rupi Soren, the wife of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha founder and former chief minister Shibu Soren, had been undergoing treatment after being admitted with breathing difficulty on September 18. She was in critical condition and on ventilator support." CM Hemant Soren's mother Rupi Soren, who was admitted here, passed away around 8.30 pm.

She was admitted to the hospital on September 18 with breathing difficulty," Hill View Hospital and Research Centre director Dr Nitesh Priya told news agency PTI.Dr Priya said Rupi Soren was critical with multiple complications and was put on ventilator support on Wednesday. He added that a team of doctors was constantly monitoring her health condition. The chief minister had earlier in the day visited the hospital. BJP leader and former chief minister Champai Soren, a close aide of Shibu Soren, condoled her death.

In a social media post, he said, "The sad news of the passing of Smt Rupi Soren ji, wife of the late Shibu Soren ji has left my heart in pain. Many events and memories from the time of the Jharkhand movement are flashing before my eyes. May Marang Buru (the supreme tribal deity) grant peace to the departed soul and give strength to the family." Assembly Speaker Rabindra Nath Mahato also expressed grief over her death. Rupi Soren had contested the 1999 Lok Sabha election from Dumka, then in undivided Bihar, but lost to senior BJP leader Babulal Marandi by a margin of less than 5,000 votes.

She did not contest any election after that and devoted her life to caring for her husband till his death in August last year. Earlier this year, she received the Padma Bhushan on behalf of her husband, who was honoured posthumously at a ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan. In a poignant moment, President Droupadi Murmu stepped down from the stage to present the award to Rupi Soren, who attended the ceremony in a wheelchair.

She had also taken part in the swearing-in ceremony of her son as chief minister. Rupi Soren's death marks the end of a long public and personal association with one of Jharkhand's most prominent political families, spanning the Jharkhand movement, electoral politics and Shibu Soren's final years.- Ends