What Harish Rana’s father said after Supreme Court allowed passive euthanasia

In a landmark decision, the Supreme Court on Wednesday allowed the withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment for 32-year-old Harish Rana, who has been in a vegetative state for the past 13 years with virtually no chance of recovery.

Passive euthanasia refers to allowing a patient to die naturally by withholding or withdrawing medical treatment or life-support systems required to keep them alive.

The court noted that Rana had been surviving only through clinically administered nutrition via percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) tubes. Medical boards that examined his condition unanimously concluded that continuing treatment would only prolong his biological existence without any possibility of recovery.


The apex court further observed that once both the primary and secondary medical boards certify withdrawal of life support, judicial intervention is not required.

Reacting to the verdict, Harish Rana’s father Ashok Rana said the family had been fighting the legal battle for three years.

“We had been pursuing this case for the last three years. Which parents would want this for their son? He will be taken to AIIMS. He used to be a topper at Panjab University,” Ashok Rana told ANI.

What the Supreme Court said
A bench of Justices J.B. Pardiwala and K.V. Viswanathan, while allowing the plea filed by Rana through his father, said the case had filled the court with “profound sadness”.

The bench remarked that the case highlights the fragility of life and how circumstances can change suddenly.

“For the past thirteen years, the applicant has lived a life defined by pain and suffering, unable even to express his anguish,” the court said.

At the same time, the judges praised Rana’s family for standing firmly by his side throughout his ordeal.

The court recorded its “deepest appreciation” for the family’s dedication and unconditional care, noting that despite the tragedy, Rana’s parents and siblings never abandoned him.

The bench observed that among the many truths revealed by the case, the most enduring was the resilience of love and family support.

“In our considered opinion, the greatest tragedy in life is not death, but abandonment,” the court said, acknowledging the family’s unwavering care and devotion.

The judges also clarified that the decision was not about choosing death, but about recognising when medical treatment can no longer restore life in any meaningful way.

“It is the decision to withdraw life-sustaining treatment when that treatment no longer heals or improves life. Survival is not always the same as living,” the court noted.

Addressing the family directly, the bench said the decision may feel like surrender but is actually an act of compassion and courage.

“You are not giving up on your son. You are allowing him to leave with dignity,” the court said.

Who is Harish Rana?
Harish Rana, now 32, was a gym enthusiast and football lover who was pursuing a B.Tech degree at Panjab University in 2013.

That year, he suffered a devastating accident after falling from the fourth floor of his paying guest accommodation, which resulted in a severe brain injury and left him in a coma.

He was initially taken to a local hospital before being shifted to the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, due to the seriousness of his condition.

Rana remained admitted at PGIMER from August 21 to August 27, 2013, where doctors treated him with ventilatory support, medication, antibiotics, tracheostomy and feeding through a nasogastric tube.

Despite treatment, his condition did not improve.

After discharge, his fragile health required frequent hospital visits and medical care for complications such as seizures, pneumonia and bedsores at the Jai Prakash Narayan Trauma Centre at AIIMS, New Delhi.

Medical records show he developed seizures in 2014 and was placed on medication.

Doctors have noted that Rana shows no awareness of his surroundings and is unable to interact with others. Although he has sleep-wake cycles and can open his eyes, there is no purposeful response to sound, touch or pain.

He has remained bedridden since the accident and has repeatedly suffered painful bedsores despite continuous care from his family.

For most of the past 13 years, Rana has been cared for at home by his parents, though periodic infections and complications required hospitalisation.