Supreme Court Allows Passive Euthanasia for Man in Vegetative State for 13 Years

After spending 13 years in a vegetative state, 32-year-old Harish Rana has been moved from Ghaziabad to All India Institute of Medical Sciences Delhi after the Supreme Court of India permitted passive euthanasia in his case. Doctors are expected to gradually withdraw life-sustaining support under strict medical supervision, a process aimed at ending his prolonged suffering with dignity.

An emotional video widely circulated online shows Rana’s family bidding him farewell at their home in Ghaziabad on Friday. In the footage, his sister—associated with the spiritual organisation Brahma Kumaris—is seen speaking to him through tears, urging him to forgive everyone and depart in peace as the family prepares for the difficult transition.

Rana’s parents, particularly his father Ashok Rana, have cared for him continuously since the accident that left him in a coma more than a decade ago. Residents of the Rajnagar Extension residential community have often spoken about the family’s unwavering dedication during these years, supported by their close spiritual ties with the Brahma Kumaris.

According to reports by India Today, spiritual leader Sister Kumari Lovely Didi visited the family’s home on March 13, offering prayers and performing a traditional tilak ritual as part of a farewell ceremony.

The case is considered legally significant, marking what is believed to be India’s first court-approved instance of passive euthanasia involving the withdrawal not only of ventilator support but also of feeding tubes and other forms of artificial life-sustaining assistance. The ruling was delivered by a bench comprising Justices J B Pardiwala and K V Viswanathan, who held that life support could be withdrawn in a hospital setting, allowing Rana to die with dignity.

Rana, a former engineering student at Panjab University and an avid football enthusiast, suffered severe head injuries in 2013 after falling from the fourth floor of his paying-guest accommodation.

Speaking after the judgment, his father Ashok Rana said the decision would not lessen the family’s grief but could provide guidance to others facing similar circumstances. He expressed hope that the ruling would help families grappling with the emotional and ethical challenges posed by prolonged, irreversible medical conditions.