Harish Rana, the first Indian to be granted permission for passive euthanasia, passed away at AIIMS Delhi at 4:10 pm today, nearly two weeks after the Supreme Court authorized the withdrawal of life support at his parents’ request. The 31-year-old was admitted to the hospital on March 14 for the euthanasia procedure, which was initiated two days later. He breathed his last after 11 days under palliative care.
In a compassionate act, Rana’s family donated his vital organs, including two corneas and heart valves, to contribute to others’ lives, according to sources.
A Life in Limbo Since 2013
Rana had been in a vegetative state for over 13 years following a tragic accident in 2013. At that time, he was a student at Panjab University when he fell from the fourth floor of a paying guest accommodation, sustaining severe brain injuries. Though he was discharged after initial treatment, the injury left him in a coma, requiring life support measures such as a tracheostomy for breathing and a gastrojejunostomy tube for feeding.
As years passed with slim chances of recovery, his parents approached the courts seeking permission for passive euthanasia, setting a precedent in Indian medical ethics and law.
A Dignified End
Following the Supreme Court’s landmark ruling, Rana was transferred from his home in Ghaziabad to a palliative care unit at AIIMS. The court mandated that the process of withdrawing life support be carried out with meticulous care to preserve his dignity. A specialized team of doctors, led by Dr. Seema Mishra, head of the Department of Anaesthesia and Palliative Medicine, oversaw the procedure. The team included experts from neurosurgery, onco-anaesthesia, psychiatry, and palliative care.
This marked the first-ever case of passive euthanasia authorized and executed in India, ending Rana’s long and tragic journey in peace.