Watch: Harish Rana Receives Emotional Final Farewell At AIIMS Delhi By Parents After SC Approves Euthanasia; Life Support To Be Withdrawn Today

On the morning of March 14, an unusual silence filled the 13th-floor flat of Empire Society in Rajnagar Extension, Ghaziabad. Family members, neighbours, doctors, officials, and a few unfamiliar faces gathered inside the house, yet hardly anyone spoke.

The silence was so deep that even the sound of breathing seemed audible.

At the centre of this quiet grief was 32-year-old Harish Rana, who had spent nearly 13 years in a permanent vegetative state after a devastating accident. As doctors prepared to move him to the palliative care department of AIIMS Delhi, his family braced themselves for the most painful farewell of their lives.

His mother, Nirmala Devi, held her son’s face gently in her palms and kissed his forehead. His father, Ashok Rana, bent down and stroked his hair, trying to hold back tears.

The stretcher was slowly brought to the door as officials completed the final formalities.

“4588 Days of Pain”: Parents Speak About Their Hardest Decision

As the lift doors closed, Harish’s father accompanied the medical team, while his mother covered her face with her pallu and broke down in tears.

“We have spent 4,588 days with this pain, but the decision to end our son’s suffering is even more painful,” the grieving father said.

Harish was taken to the palliative care department at AIIMS Delhi after the Supreme Court allowed passive euthanasia, marking a significant legal development in India’s end-of-life care framework.

Doctors are expected to withdraw life support in accordance with the court’s directions.

A Brilliant Student Whose Dreams Were Cut Short

Harish Rana was once a bright and ambitious engineering student.

In 2012, he joined the first batch of engineering students at Chandigarh University in Mohali through lateral entry and was admitted directly to the second year. Known for his academic excellence, Harish consistently ranked among the top five students in his class.

His family dreamed of seeing him become a successful engineer.

But fate took a tragic turn in August 2013.

On the evening of Raksha Bandhan, Harish spoke to his sister on the phone. An hour later, the family received shocking news that he had fallen from a four-storey building in Chandigarh.

“We reached late at night. My son had been admitted to PGI,” recalled his father.

The Accident That Changed Everything

The fall caused catastrophic brain and spinal cord injuries.

Harish was left in a Permanent Vegetative State (PVS) with 100 percent quadriplegia, meaning he lost all voluntary movement of his limbs. Although his heart continued to beat and basic bodily functions remained active, his brain showed no signs of recovery.

Doctors eventually informed the family that his condition was irreversible.

Harish was initially treated at PGI Chandigarh for 10 days before being shifted to AIIMS Delhi, where he remained on a ventilator for nearly a month. In the years that followed, the family sought treatment at multiple hospitals, including Medanta and Apollo, hoping for a miracle that never came.

Surviving for 13 Years on Artificial Nutrition

For nearly 13 years, Harish survived only through Clinically Assisted Nutrition and Hydration (CANH) administered via a PEG tube.

Despite constant medical care and the family’s relentless hope, there was no improvement in his condition.

After the Delhi High Court dismissed his father’s plea for euthanasia in 2024, the family approached the Supreme Court, seeking relief from what they described as prolonged suffering.

Supreme Court Allows Passive Euthanasia in Landmark Decision

In a significant ruling, the Supreme Court allowed the withdrawal of life support after considering the recommendations of multiple medical boards and the consent of Harish’s family.

The court directed AIIMS Delhi to admit Harish to its palliative care department and create a comprehensive end-of-life care plan.

The judges emphasised that the withdrawal of life support must be conducted in a humane manner, ensuring that the patient’s dignity is preserved.

The court also clarified that Clinically Administered Nutrition through PEG tubes qualifies as medical treatment rather than basic care. Therefore, its withdrawal falls within the scope of passive euthanasia.

SC Waives 30-Day Waiting Period

To prevent further suffering, the Supreme Court waived the standard 30-day reconsideration period that is typically required in such cases.

This allowed the medical board’s decision to be implemented immediately.

The court also issued procedural guidelines for future cases, directing High Courts to instruct judicial magistrates to process hospital notifications related to passive euthanasia.

Additionally, the Union Government was asked to ensure that Chief Medical Officers in all districts maintain panels of registered medical practitioners to serve on secondary medical boards.

Call for a Comprehensive End-of-Life Care Law

The Supreme Court also urged the Union Government to introduce comprehensive legislation on end-of-life care.

The court warned that in the absence of clear laws, decisions related to euthanasia could be influenced by external factors such as financial distress, lack of insurance, or socio-economic vulnerability.

A Final Goodbye

At AIIMS Delhi, Harish Rana received an emotional farewell from his parents and religious preachers before the medical procedure.

For the Rana family, the moment marks the end of a 13-year-long journey of hope, suffering, and difficult decisions.

As life support is set to be withdrawn, the parents are left with memories of the son they once dreamed would become an engineer a dream that was tragically interrupted more than a decade ago.

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