DAVANAGERE: After years of relentless advocacy, H B Karibasamma, 85, a retired govt schoolteacher, is on the cusp of becoming the first beneficiary in Karnataka of the right to die with dignity. With the state govt issuing a circular on January 30 to grant terminally ill patients the right to die with dignity, Karibasamma now eagerly awaits the formalities to make her wish a reality.
Karibasamma’s journey has been one of unwavering determination. She battled a slipped disc for more than three decades and was recently diagnosed with cancer.
Despite her deteriorating health, she spent the last 24 years fighting for the right to die with dignity in India, shooting off letters to the chief minister, Prime Minister, President, and even to the Supreme Court.
Though the apex court had legalised passive euthanasia in 2018, it is only now that Karnataka has decided to implement the right to die with dignity, with this key clarification from the state health and family welfare minister, Dinesh Gundu Rao, that the decision is not to be confused with euthanasia and “is applicable only to those who are on life-support and non-responding to life-sustaining treatment”.
“Many are on the list, waiting to avail this right, but I wish to be the first [in Karnataka],” Karibasamma said.
Currently residing at an old-age home in Davanagere with her husband, Karibasamma’s fight for this right has come at a great personal cost. She lost her property, finances, and relationships in its pursuit, but never wavered in her belief that those suffering from terminal illnesses deserve a dignified death.
Opting to live in a care-home for the last 20 years, Karibasamma has also distanced herself from all material wealth, donating her last remaining savings of Rs 6 lakh to the welfare of Border Security Force (BSF) personnel.
Childless Karibasamma said her fight for the right to die with dignity alienated her from her relatives.
“The number of elderly people suffering from terminal illnesses in the country is large. Like me, they are suffering without the opportunity to die with dignity. When I started the fight, seeking implementation of this law, everyone was shocked. My family members and relatives gradually distanced themselves.”