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Ranchi, January 2026
Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren visited All Souls College at the University of Oxford in January 2026 as part of an official visit to the United Kingdom. During the visit, he paid tribute to Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, the former President of India and one of the country’s most respected philosophers, who had a long and significant connection with All Souls College.
The Oxford visit came after the Jharkhand government delegation had participated in the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland, from January 18 to 24, 2026. It was the first time Jharkhand had officially participated in the World Economic Forum, which is held every year and brings together heads of state, business leaders, and policymakers from around the world.
Why All Souls College and why Radhakrishnan?
All Souls College is one of the most well-known research colleges at Oxford University. It was founded in 1438. Unlike most other Oxford colleges, it has no undergraduate students. It is entirely a research institution. Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, who served as India’s second President from 1962 to 1967 and was also a celebrated philosopher and educator, had a deep connection with this college. He served as the Spalding Professor of Eastern Religions and Ethics at Oxford University from 1936 to 1952. During that time, he became a Fellow of All Souls College, a position of significant academic recognition. He later remained an Honorary Fellow of the college for many years.
Soren acknowledged this connection at the event and spoke about what Radhakrishnan’s life and work represent. He said that Radhakrishnan’s life teaches that scholarship, public service, and building bridges between different cultures and ideas can guide society in the right direction. He noted that during his time at Oxford, Radhakrishnan brought Eastern and Western philosophical traditions together in a way that earned him worldwide respect.
Who organised the visit and who was in the room?
The event at All Souls College was organised by Professor Alpa Shah, a Professor of Social Anthropology at Oxford University and a Fellow of All Souls College. Professor Shah has spent more than twenty years doing field research in Jharkhand, living among Adivasi communities in the state. She welcomed the Jharkhand delegation formally in Nagpuri, the language spoken by a large number of people in the Jharkhand region.
The delegation from Jharkhand included MLA Kalpana Murmu Soren, who is also Chairperson of the Women and Child Development Committee, and Sudivya Kumar, the Minister for Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sports and Youth Affairs of Jharkhand.
The St John’s College visit and Jaipal Singh Munda
After the All Souls College programme, the delegation moved to St John’s College, where they were received by Dame Sue Black, the President of St John’s. The college had put together a special exhibition of archival records related to Jaipal Singh Munda, the Adivasi leader, hockey captain, and politician who had studied at St John’s College in 1922, more than a century ago. He had read Politics, Philosophy, and Economics at Oxford and went on to become the first captain of independent India’s national hockey team before serving as a prominent political figure.
Soren told those present that he was moved to see these records preserved and that they offered a window into the remarkable life of Jaipal Singh Munda.
The lecture at the Blavatnik School of Government
Soren became the first Chief Minister from Jharkhand to deliver a lecture at Oxford University. The lecture and discussion took place at the Blavatnik School of Government, which is one of Oxford’s leading institutions focused on public policy and governance. The conversation was led by Professor Maya Tudor, a Professor of Politics and Public Policy at the Blavatnik School, and Professor Alpa Shah.
The discussion centred on Jharkhand’s approach to development, specifically the idea of balancing economic growth with environmental sustainability and social inclusion. Jharkhand is one of India’s most mineral-rich states and also has one of the largest tribal populations in the country. The tension between resource extraction and the rights and welfare of local communities has been at the centre of many debates about the state’s development path.
What the visit was officially about
The broader UK visit, of which the Oxford programme was a part, was described by Jharkhand government officials as focused on building academic partnerships, exploring opportunities for Jharkhand students to access international education, and placing the state’s priorities around inclusive development within international policy conversations.
Officials said the Oxford engagement placed Jharkhand’s goals around education, leadership, and institutional capacity within international academic discussions. The Jharkhand government had also been engaging with global industry leaders at Davos in the days before the Oxford visit, inviting companies to explore investment opportunities in the state.
What All Souls College is and why it matters in this context
All Souls College is unique among Oxford colleges for two reasons. First, it admits no undergraduate students. It exists solely as a research institution for scholars and fellows. Second, it has one of the most demanding admission processes in the world for its prize fellowship examination. The college currently has around 89 Fellows and 24 Visiting Fellows. Dr Radhakrishnan’s fellowship there was, at the time, a significant recognition of his stature as a philosopher bridging two major intellectual traditions.
The tribute to Radhakrishnan at this particular college, rather than at a general Oxford venue, was specifically chosen because of this direct historical connection between the philosopher and the institution.
SOURCE LOG
Soren visited All Souls College Oxford, tribute to Dr Radhakrishnan, Radhakrishnan’s statement on scholarship and public service and cultural dialogue, Radhakrishnan Spalding Professor Eastern Religions Ethics 1936-1952, Fellow All Souls Honorary Fellow, bridged Eastern and Western ideologies, event organised by Prof Alpa Shah All Souls Fellow and Oxford Anthropology Professor, welcomed delegation in Nagpuri: ETV Bharat English, “Jharkhand CM Pays Tributes To Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan At Oxford University,” January 25, 2026, etvbharat.com
Visit part of UK official tour following Davos WEF January 18-24, first Jharkhand participation in WEF, first tribal elected leader from India at WEF, delegation included Kalpana Murmu Soren MLA/WCD Committee Chair and Sudivya Kumar Tourism Minister, St John’s visit January 23, Dame Sue Black President St John’s, Jaipal Singh Munda archives exhibition 1922 St John’s PPE, Soren moved by preserved records, in-conversation at Blavatnik School of Government, Maya Tudor Professor Politics Public Policy Blavatnik School, Prof Alpa Shah Jharkhand fieldwork 20+ years: St John’s College Oxford official website, “St John’s welcomes the Honourable Chief Minister of Jharkhand,” January 23, 2026, sjc.ox.ac.uk
All Souls event organised by Prof Alpa Shah, Soren welcomed in Nagpuri, paid tribute to Radhakrishnan as Fellow of All Souls, archives of Jaipal Singh Munda at St John’s, Soren spoke about Munda’s incredible life: Cherwell Oxford University student newspaper, “Remembering Jaipal Singh Munda, an Adivasi presence at Oxford,” February 24, 2026, cherwell.org
First Jharkhand CM to deliver lecture at Oxford University, Blavatnik School focus on Jharkhand sustainable development model, delegation met Indian diaspora in London, accompanied by Kalpana Soren: Udit Vani, “CM Soren Arrives in London, Set to Address Oxford University,” January 22, 2026, uditvani.in
Oxford programme details St John’s and All Souls College engagements, Blavatnik School special lecture, visit follows WEF Davos, academic partnerships and education focus: Careers360, “Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren to visit Oxford University,” January 10, 2026, careers360.com
All Souls College founding 1438 by Henry VI and Henry Chichele, research-only institution, no undergraduates: All Souls College Oxford official website, asc.ox.ac.uk
