13 Years in Coma Ends: Harish Rana, India's First Person To Be Allowed Euthanasia, Dies in AIIMS
Harish Rana Dies: Harish Rana Granted 'Euthanasia'; Breathes His Last After 10 Days of Hospitalization at AIIMS
13 Years in Coma Ends: Harish Rana—the first individual in India to be granted permission for passive euthanasia—has passed away at AIIMS. He had been in a coma since 2013. On March 11, the Supreme Court granted him permission for euthanasia, following which his life support system was gradually withdrawn at the hospital. A team of specialists, led by Dr. Seema Mishra, oversaw the entire procedure.
He had been in a coma since 2013 and had been dependent on a life support system for the past 13 years.
The 31-year-old Harish Rana was transferred from his home in Ghaziabad on March 14 and admitted to the Palliative Care Unit at the Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Institute Rotary Cancer Hospital in Delhi. Three days prior—on March 11—the Supreme Court, in a landmark verdict, had granted him permission for passive euthanasia.
Harish Rana Fell from the Fourth Floor in 2013
Harish Rana... He was a B.Tech student at Punjab University. In 2013, he sustained a severe head injury after falling from the fourth floor, and he had remained in a coma ever since. During this period, he was provided with artificial nutritional support and intermittent oxygen support.
Following his admission to the hospital, and under the supervision of doctors, his nutritional support was gradually reduced. The Supreme Court had directed AIIMS to withdraw the life support system in accordance with a specific plan, ensuring that the patient's dignity was preserved.
Supreme Court had directed AIIMS to withdraw the life support
The doctors remained fully vigilant regarding the patient's care. Dr. Sushma Bhatnagar, former Head of Onco-Anesthesia at AIIMS Delhi, explained that in this process, the nutritional intake provided to the patient is gradually reduced or discontinued. Simultaneously, it is ensured that the patient does not experience any pain. To this end, pain-relieving medications are administered continuously to provide comfort to the patient and prevent them from experiencing any form of suffering.
To implement this entire process, a special medical team was constituted under the leadership of Dr. Seema Mishra. This team comprised specialists from the departments of Neurosurgery, Onco-Anesthesia, Palliative Medicine, and Psychiatry. This is considered to be the first such case in India, setting a new precedent regarding euthanasia.
Harish Rana's Emotional Video Goes Viral
Prior to his transfer to AIIMS, a poignant scene emerged from Harish Rana's home in Ghaziabad that deeply moved the public. In the viral video, a female member of the 'Brahma Kumaris' organization is seen applying a ‘tilak’ (sacred mark) on his forehead and, in a remarkably calm voice, gently tells him to forgive everyone, seek forgiveness from all, and now rest in peace.