Indians and generally most of the people around the world do not want to even think or talk of death. I am more aware about relectance to talk about the death, since during my career I have been an insurance salesman.

Death means different to different persons at different times. A person lost in love may want to die, or a person committed to certain ideals may be ready to die for it. Or death becomes important to persons who are terminally ill.

First let us get a background on what euthanasia or assisted suicide is all about. The word 'euthanasia' comes from the Greek words 'eu' and 'thanatos', combined together mean 'a good death'. In todays world, the meaning of 'euthanasia' has widened, which now includes how that good death is brought about. Specifically, 'euthanasia' is understood to mean, death brought about by a doctor providing drugs or an injection to bring a peaceful end to the dying process.

Consider this, a person is terminally ill and wants to end his/her life with assistance from some one, what happens in India ? The person dies but the person who assisted will be arrested for voluntary manslaughter and faces a possible long jail term. Instead of dealing in hypothetical questions let me deal with my own. I am 35 years old, suffering from a disease called as Limb Girdle Muscular Dystrophy the condition is such that progressively over many years my muscles will waste away leaving me unable to do any thing on my own. This disease is such that it does not affect the longetivity of a persons life. Generally it does not involve pain, but it involves lot of dignity. A person can with strong will power may bear a lot of pain, but not indignity. So, I must have an option to end my life ( not that I am going to kill myself as soon as I get the permission).

What is my use to my family in particular and to society in general ? Nothing. What joy my old parents will get while changing my clothes, sponging me and giving me the bed pan and wiping the shit. I am the one who has got the disease but it is they who have to suffer. Only a family having an invalid to care for will understand my feelings about this voluntary assisted death. The family members are trapped, fearing social rejection they can't dump the invalid person in some care centre and generally Indians being god fearing will not venture on their own to kill their dear ones. But let it be clear that, euthanasia is being practised in India inspite it being illegal.