AIIMS-Delhi has begun implementing procedures for what is set to be India’s first case of passive euthanasia, following approval from the Supreme Court for Harish Rana. According to sources, the process is expected to take around two to three weeks.
Harish, now 31, has been in a coma since 2013 after suffering severe head injuries from a fall while he was a BTech student at Panjab University. He was recently moved from his home in Ghaziabad to the palliative care unit at Dr BR Ambedkar Institute Rotary Cancer Hospital within AIIMS-Delhi.
A dedicated medical team led by Dr Seema Mishra, head of anaesthesia and palliative medicine, has been formed to oversee the process. The team includes specialists from neurosurgery, onco-anaesthesia and palliative medicine, as well as psychiatry.
Earlier this month, the Supreme Court permitted passive euthanasia after medical boards determined that Harish’s condition is irreversible and that further treatment would not improve his neurological state. The court also instructed AIIMS to ensure that life-support withdrawal is carried out in a manner that preserves dignity.
The procedure involves gradually withdrawing life-sustaining measures such as artificial nutrition, oxygen, and medications, while ensuring the patient remains free from pain or distress through palliative sedation. The goal is neither to hasten nor delay death, but to allow it to occur naturally and with dignity.
Harish’s father, Ashok Rana, who had approached the court for permission, described the decision as deeply painful but necessary, saying it was made in his son’s best interest. He also expressed hope that the ruling would help other families facing similar situations.
