Harish Rana: First Indian to be allowed 'passive euthanasia' dies

An Indian man whose life support was removed after the Supreme Court accepted his parents' plea to do so has died. Harish Rana's case is the first instance of court-approved passive euthanasia - the act of withdrawing or withholding life-sustaining treatment - in India. Rana, 31, died on Tuesday at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (Aiims) hospital in Delhi, where he had been receiving palliative care after his life support was withdrawn. Rana had been in a coma since 2013, when he suffered serious head injuries after falling from a fourth-floor balcony. He was an engineering student at the time. Before his accident, Rana hadn't made a will specifying directives for his treatment if he lost his ability to make decisions. Also called a 'living will', this legal document allows anyone over 18 years to choose the medical care they would like to receive if they develop a terminal illness or condition with no hope of recovery. In 2018, the Supreme Court legalised passive euthanasia by allowing people to draw up living wills. Active euthanasia - any act that intentionally helps a person kill themselves - is illegal in India. But since Rana didn't have a living will and could no

Mar 25, 2026 → Apr 7, 2026