'He is in a happy place now': Harish Rana's last rites conducted, family to donate his organs

Harish Rana's last rites held, family donates his organs

“Don't cry, he is in a happy place now,” said the parents of Harish Rana as they bid farewell to their son one last time on Wednesday (March 25, 2026).

Mr. Rana, who died on Tuesday after the withdrawal of clinically assisted nutrition and hydration (CANH) following a first-of-its-kind judgment by the Supreme Court, was cremated at the Green Park cremation ground in South Delhi on Wednesday morning. The 31-year-old had been in a vegetative state for 13 years following a fall from a fourth-floor balcony while he was a B.Tech student at Panjab University in 2013.

In a final act of generosity, Mr. Rana’s family consented to donate five of his organs. During the last rites, his mother bid an emotional farewell to her son with folded hands and met those present, while his father Ashok Rana urged mourners not to cry, a neighbour told sources over the phone.

Residents who attended the cremation described the atmosphere as deeply emotional. The sources noted that many attendees were moved to tears during the ceremony. However, Ashok Rana continued to console others and encouraged them to remain strong in their moment of grief.

"Let no one weep. I am praying that my son may depart in peace. Wherever he is born next, may he receive God's blessings," he said. Uttar Pradesh Congress chief Ajai Rai, who visited the cremation ground to pay his respects, said the family had confirmed the donation of five of Mr. Rana's organs. "Harish might be gone, but he will continue to live on through the beneficiaries of his organ donation. The family has set an example before the entire nation," Mr. Rai said over the phone.

Family members, along with representatives of the Brahma Kumaris, a spiritual movement led by women, attended the cremation to offer their prayers. Residents from the Raj Empire Society in Ghaziabad, where the Rana family lives, also came to show their support, joining a diverse group of NGOs, AIIMS staff, relatives, and friends.