‘Walking memory of movement'
2
Some silences weigh heavier than words. When Dishom Guru Shibu Soren passed away, it was not merely the end of a political life — it was as if a part of the land itself had gone quiet. For millions, he was not just a leader, but a walking memory of a movement, the weathered face of hope and dignity.
I remember a day at the Dumaria Mela in Littipara. Thousands had gathered under the open sky to see Guruji — then chief minister — speak. I had just begun learning Santali and greeted the crowd in hesitant, imperfect words. To my astonishment, Guruji paused the programme, walked across the dais, and acknowledged me before the crowd. It was not just encouragement — it was his way of saying that efforts to understand his people mattered.
That moment never left me. It taught me that in leadership, empathy is not a virtue — it is a necessity.
He spoke fiercely against the exploitation of tribal communities — his voice rising against moneylenders, against alcoholism, against anything that broke the spirit of his people. These were not rehearsed lines. They came from a life carved in loss and resistance. Once, in a quiet moment, he told me, "Adversities aren't curses; they are our oldest teachers."
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That sentence alone explains the resolve that defined his journey — from a grieving son to a people's voice.
In 2010, Guruji was focused on whether ration reached the poorest, whether dignity was delivered with it. He was not chasing applause — he was chasing justice. He dreamt of welfare with astonishing foresight — he dreamt of 2025 in 2010. Even in his final years, I saw him walking through fields, never far from the earth. He believed that agriculture would one day reclaim Jharkhand's pride.
(The writer is an IAS officer. He is serving as the director of Shri Krishna Institute of Public Administration, Jharkhand. The views expressed are personal)
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