EUTHANASIA By SWATI CHANDORKAR

DR. GHAISAS SET UP A HOSPITAL AT A PLACE POORLY DEVELOPED THOUGH CLOSE TO MUMBAI A FEW DECADES AGO. HE SOON BECAME A WELL KNOWN FIGURE IN THE VICINITY AS A DOCTOR, AS A FATHERLY FIGURE, AND A PHILOSOPHER. HE LED AN UNHAPPY PERSONAL LIFE: HIS DAUGHTER HAD AN INTER RELIGIOUS MARRIAGE IN THE USA, AND HIS WIFE PASSED AWAY AS A RESULT OF THE SHOCK. DR. GHAISAS LED A LONELY LIFE. HE ADOPTED AN ORPHAN, LENT SUPPORT TO A YOUNG RAPE VICTIM AND ENCOURAGED THE TWO TO STUDY MEDICINE. HE RECEIVED A BOLT FROM THE BLUE WHEN HE CAME TO KNOW THAT HIS DAUGHTER AND HIS SON-IN-LAW MET WITH A FATAL ACCIDENT. HE NOW TOOK THE GRANDSON UNDER HIS WINGS. EUTHANASIA HAS ALWAYS BEEN A HOT TOPIC OF DEBATE. WHILE IN PRINCIPLE ONE MAY AGREE TO OBLIGE TO END THE LIFE OF A TERMINALLY ILL PERSON TO RELIEVE HIM OF LEADING A PAINFUL LIFE, THERE ARE ETHICAL, LEGAL AND PRACTICAL CONSTRAINTS IN PERMITTING EUTHANASIA. IT IS THUS UNEXPECTED THAT IN SPITE OF AN EXCELLENT PROFESSIONAL CAREER, A HOLISTIC VIEW TO LIFE AND FULL KNOWLEDGE OF THE FACT THAT THE LAW OF THE LAND DOES NOT PERMIT EUTHANASIA, DR. GHAISAS OCCASIONALLY ADVOCATES USE OF EUTHANASIA TO THOSE FOR WHOM LIFE WAS MEANINGLESS.