Harish Rana, India's first passive euthanasia case, dies at AIIMS

Harish Rana, the first person legally granted passive euthanasia in India, has died at AIIMS Delhi. The 31-year-old had been in a vegetative state for over a decade before the Supreme Court permitted the withdrawal of his life support.

The final rites of Harish Rana, the first individual in India to be legally granted passive euthanasia, were performed in the national capital following his demise at AIIMS New Delhi. Rana, who had been under specialised medical care for a prolonged period, passed away, marking a significant moment in the country's legal and medical history.

AIIMS Confirms Demise

In an official statement, AIIMS confirmed that Rana died at 4:10 PM at the institute in New Delhi. He had been under the care of a dedicated medical team in the Palliative Oncology Unit (IRCH), headed by Dr. (Prof.) Seema Mishra, HoD of Onco-Anaesthesia. The institute also extended its heartfelt condolences to his family and loved ones during this difficult time.

"Harish Rana passed away at 4:10 PM on 24th March 2026 at AIIMS, New Delhi. He was under the care of a dedicated team of doctors and was admitted to the Palliative Oncology Unit (IRCH), led by Dr. (Prof.) Seema Mishra, HoD, Onco-Anaesthesia. AIIMS extends its heartfelt condolences to his family and loved ones during this difficult time," the press release said.

Landmark Supreme Court Ruling

Earlier this month, in a landmark first, the Supreme Court permitted passive euthanasia for a 31-year-old man from Ghaziabad who has been in a persistent vegetative state for over a decade, observing that continuing life-sustaining treatment would no longer be in the patient's best interest. A bench of Justices JB Pardiwala and KV Vishwanathan allowed the withdrawal of clinically assisted nutrition and hydration (CANH) for Harish Rana, who has remained in a vegetative state since suffering an accidental fall from a building in 2013.

Passive euthanasia refers to the withdrawal or withholding of life-sustaining treatment to allow a patient with no reasonable prospect of recovery to die naturally.

Call for Comprehensive Legislation

Expressing profound sadness while delivering the judgment, the court noted that all stakeholders, including the patient's family and the medical boards constituted to assess his condition, were in agreement that continuing aggressive medical support would serve no meaningful purpose.

The bench also noted the absence of a comprehensive law on end-of-life care and urged the Union government to consider bringing legislation in line with the principles laid down in Common Cause v. Union of India (2018) in which the top-court had recognised the right to die with dignity as part of the right to life under Article 21 and had laid down guidelines permitting passive euthanasia.

"The prolonged absence of comprehensive legislation on end-of-life care has compelled this Court, time and again, to step in to fill the vacuum," the court said. It further added a dedicated law, which, in this regard, would bring greater clarity and certainty to such emotionally complex issues. (ANI)

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