Harish Rana Dies After India's First Passive Euthanasia

Harish Rana, the first person in India granted permission for passive euthanasia by the Supreme Court, died on Tuesday at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi, ending more than 13 years in an irreversible vegetative state.

Rana, 31, had been in a coma since August 2013, when he fell from a fourth-floor balcony at his paying guest accommodation in Chandigarh while pursuing a B.Tech degree at Panjab University. The accident caused severe head injuries, leaving him dependent on artificial nutrition through a percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy tube and occasional oxygen support. Medical experts, including panels from multiple hospitals, determined there was no possibility of recovery, describing his condition as one where continued treatment would only prolong biological existence without meaningful improvement.

For over a decade, Rana's parents, Ashok Rana and Nirmala Devi, cared for him at their home in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh. Neighbors described the family's dedication, noting they sold their house to cover medical expenses. "The family did everything they could for him all these years," said local resident Tejas Chaturvedi. Ashok Rana called the decision...