Harish Rana dies at AIIMS after India's first passive euthanasia ruling
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Harish Rana 's parents celebrate his birth (File Photo)
New Delhi: Harish Rana, India's first individual granted passive euthanasia, passed away on March 24 at AIIMS-Delhi after over 13 years in a coma. The 31-year-old BTech student had suffered severe head injuries from a fourth-floor fall in 2013 and received only artificial nutrition and occasional oxygen support.
On March 11, the Supreme Court authorised withdrawal of his life-sustaining nutrition via percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy tubes, following medical boards' unanimous findings of no recovery prospects. A specialised AIIMS team led by Dr Seema Mishra, head of anaesthesia and palliative medicine, gradually implemented the process after his March 14 admission to the palliative care unit at Dr BR Ambedkar Institute Rotary Cancer Hospital at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences.
Rana's father, Ashok, welcomed the ruling as restoring his son's dignity after prolonged irreversible suffering, noting its broader public value. Activist Pinki Virani, who petitioned for Aruna Shanbaug's euthanasia, praised AIIMS staff's compassionate approach and urged advance directives for dignified death.
The verdict aligns with the Supreme Court's 2018 and 2023 Common Cause judgments recognising the right to die with dignity under Article 21, easing procedures via primary and secondary medical boards without routine judicial oversight. Justices J B Pardiwala and K V Viswanathan commended the family's steadfast care and urged comprehensive legislation.
(Inputs from PTI)