The Supreme Court of India praised the family of Harish Rana for donating his corneas and heart valve after his death, with Justices JB Pardiwala and KV Viswanathan calling the act one of compassion, generosity and a life-saving legacy for others.
Months after permitting passive euthanasia for 31-year-old Harish Rana, the Supreme Court of India on Wednesday praised his family’s decision to donate his organs following his death, describing the act as one of extraordinary generosity and compassion.
A Bench comprising Justice JB Pardiwala and Justice KV Viswanathan noted that Rana’s family had donated his corneas and heart valve after his passing. The Court observed that even in the midst of personal grief, the family chose to help save and improve the lives of others.
The Court said,
“His family chose generosity through the selfless decision to donate his corneas and heart valve. Through this act, his life continues in others. His legacy will live on in the lives of those he saved,”
The Bench further observed that Rana was able to spend his final moments with comfort, dignity and respect after the withdrawal of life support. According to the Court, his peaceful passing away from invasive medical machinery reflected both personal autonomy and dignity in life as well as in death.
The Supreme Court observed during the hearing,
“Harish Rana’s life continues in others. His legacy will live on in the lives of those he saved,”
The Bench also reflected on the broader ethical and medical issues raised by the case, remarking that modern medicine has its limitations and that extending life in circumstances a patient would not have chosen cannot always be regarded as meaningful care.
According to the Court, allowing an individual to pass away on their own terms while alleviating suffering ultimately affirms dignity and respects personal autonomy over end-of-life decisions.
The Bench remarked,
“This litigation has taught many things to one and all, including two of us as judges,”
The matter was listed before the Court to review whether the directions issued in its March 11 judgment permitting passive euthanasia had been complied with by the concerned authorities and medical institutions.
During the proceedings, counsel appearing for Rana’s family informed the Court that his death certificate had already been placed on record before the registry. This was done in accordance with the landmark judgment in Common Cause vs Union of India, in which the Supreme Court formally recognised passive euthanasia and upheld the validity of living wills and advance medical directives.
The Court took Rana’s death certificate dated April 7, 2026 on record and directed that it be preserved with the case files for a period of three years. A report submitted by All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) was also ordered to be kept in sealed cover.
The Bench additionally expressed appreciation for the doctors and medical staff at AIIMS who attended to Rana during his final days under palliative care.
The Court also acknowledged the assistance rendered by Advocate Rashmi Nandakumar, who appeared for the petitioner’s family, and Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, who represented the Union government.
Before concluding the proceedings, the Supreme Court directed Bhati to file a fresh status report by July regarding compliance with certain earlier directions issued by the Court in the matter.
Supreme Court Allowing Harish Rana’s Passive Euthanasia:
Earlier, a Supreme Court bench permitted the plea to discontinue life support for 31-year-old Harish Rana, who has been in a persistent vegetative state since a 2013 fall from a building.
Justices JB Pardiwala and KV Viswanathan noted that Rana has not responded to treatment.
The Bench observed,
“He experiences sleep–wake cycles but exhibits no meaningful interaction and has been dependent on others for all activities of self-care. Harish has been on CAN administered through a PEG tube, and his condition has shown no improvement,”
Accordingly, the court held that the medical board may, using its clinical judgment, decide on withdrawal of treatment in line with the guidelines established by the Supreme Court in its 2018 Common Cause v. Union of India ruling.
The judgment stated,
“In line with our considered view, it would be permissible for the medical board to exercise its clinical judgment regarding the withdrawal of treatment in accordance with the guidelines laid down in Common Cause v. Union of India,”
This may be the first time the Court has issued such an order in an individual case since the 2018 decision, which authorized passive euthanasia and recognized living wills/advance directives.
That five-judge Constitution Bench had held that the right to life under Article 21 encompasses the right to live with dignity, which extends to “smoothening the process of dying” for terminally ill patients or those in a persistent vegetative state with no prospect of recovery.
What Happened to Harish Rana?
For the past 13 years, 32-year-old Delhi resident Harish Rana has been in a permanent vegetative state following a fall from a fourth-floor balcony in August 2013 that caused severe brain damage and total disability. Dependent on tubes for breathing and nutrition, Harish has shown no signs of recovery.
Harish Rana’s ordeal began on August 20, 2013, when the civil engineering student fell from the fourth floor of his PG accommodation at Chandigarh University. He suffered severe head injuries, leading to 100% disability, and has remained in a permanent vegetative state ever since. Unable to move or respond, Harish depends entirely on medical support.
Over the years, his parents exhausted their savings, sold their home in Delhi’s Mahavir Enclave, and relocated to Ghaziabad, dedicating their lives to his care amid mounting emotional and financial strain.
The Legal Battle: From High Court to Supreme Court
Despite the legal recognition of passive euthanasia, Harish Rana’s parents faced repeated setbacks. In July 2024, the Delhi High Court rejected their plea, holding that Harish was not on a mechanical ventilator and could sustain life through feeding and breathing tubes, and that withdrawal of nutrition would amount to active euthanasia.
A subsequent plea before the Supreme Court in November 2024 was also declined, with then CJI DY Chandrachud observing that Harish was not completely dependent on life-support machines. In December 2025, the parents again approached the Supreme Court, citing deterioration in Harish’s condition.
Following 2023 guidelines, the Court constituted primary and secondary medical boards, both of which found no chance of recovery. Terming the report “very sad,” Justice JB Pardiwala remarked that Harish could not be kept in such a condition, and the Court reserved its final order for January 15.
Passive Euthanasia in India
Euthanasia refers to the intentional ending of life to relieve suffering from an incurable condition. In India, it is classified into two types:
- Active Euthanasia: Causing death through drugs or injections (illegal in India)
- Passive Euthanasia: Withdrawal or withholding of life-sustaining treatment (legal under strict guidelines)
The legal recognition of passive euthanasia began with the Aruna Shanbaug case (2011). Aruna, a Mumbai nurse, remained in a vegetative state for 42 years following a sexual assault before passing away in 2015.
In 2018, the Supreme Court, in Common Cause vs Union of India, ruled that the right to die with dignity is an intrinsic part of Article 21 (Right to Life) of the Constitution.
Case Title: Harish Rana v. Union of India & Ors. Miscellaneous Application No. 2238/2025
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