85-yr-old retired teacher hopes to be K'taka’s 1st beneficiary of ‘Right to Die with Dignity'
Davanagere: 85-year-old H B Karibasamma, a retired government schoolteacher, stands on the verge of becoming the first individual in Karnataka to exercise the right to die with dignity. The recent circular issued by the state government on January 30 has paved the way for terminally ill patients to seek this right, bringing Karibasamma closer to fulfilling her long-standing wish.
A lifelong crusader for this cause, Karibasamma has endured immense physical and emotional hardship. Having battled a slipped disc for over 30 years and now facing cancer, her health has steadily declined. Despite these challenges, she remained steadfast in her mission, dedicating the past 24 years to advocating for the right to die with dignity. Her efforts included numerous petitions addressed to the Chief Minister, Prime Minister, President, and even the Supreme Court of India.
Although the Supreme Court legalized passive euthanasia in 2018, Karnataka has only recently moved toward implementing the right to die with dignity. State Health and Family Welfare Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao clarified that this right should not be confused with euthanasia and applies solely to patients on life support who are unresponsive to life-sustaining treatment.
Residing in an old-age home in Davanagere with her husband, Karibasamma has paid a heavy personal price for her unwavering commitment to this cause. She lost her property, financial security, and relationships in her pursuit of the right to a dignified death. Having chosen a life of detachment from material possessions, she donated her remaining savings of ₹6 lakh to the welfare of Border Security Force (BSF) personnel.
Childless and estranged from her extended family, Karibasamma expressed her hope that her struggle would open doors for many others suffering from terminal illnesses. She acknowledged the alienation she faced due to her activism but remained resolute in her belief that those enduring unbearable pain deserve the right to pass away with dignity.
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Screenwriter Salim Khan on ventilator support and stable, say doctors
Mumbai (PTI): Veteran screenwriter Salim Khan suffered a brain haemorrhage which has been tackled, is on ventilator support as a safeguard and stable, doctors treating him said on Wednesday, a day after he was admitted to the Lilavati Hospital here.
The 90-year-old, one half of the celebrated Salim-Javed duo which scripted films such as "Sholay", "Deewar" and "Don" with Javed Akhtar, is in the ICU and recovery might take some time given his age.
"His blood pressure was high for which we treated him and we had to put him on a ventilator because we wanted to do certain investigations. Now the ventilator was put as a safeguard so that his situation doesn't get worse. So it is not that he is critical," Dr Jalil Parkar told reporters.
"We did the investigations that were required and today we have done a small procedure on him, I will not go into the details. The procedure done is called DSA (digital subtraction angiography). The procedure has been accomplished, he is fine and stable and shifted back to ICU. By tomorrow, we hope to get him off the ventilator. All in all, he is doing quite well," he added.
Asked whether he suffered a brain haemorrhage, the doctor said, "Unko thoda haemorrhage hua tha, which we’ve tackled. No surgery is required.
As concern over Khan's health mounted, his children, including superstar Salman Khan and Arbaaz Khan, daughter Alvira, and sons-in-law Atul Agnihotri and Aayush Sharma, have been seen outside the hospital along with other well-wishers. His long-time partner Akhtar was also seen coming out of the hospital.
Khan, a household name in the 70s and 80s, turned 90 on November 24 last year. It was the day Dharmendra, the star of many of his films, including "Sholay", "Seeta aur Geeta" and "Yaadon Ki Baraat", passed away.
Hailing from an affluent family in Indore, Khan arrived in Mumbai in his 20s with dreams of stardom. He was good looking and confident he would make a mark in the industry as an actor. But that did not happen. And then, after struggling for close to a decade and getting confined to small roles in films, he changed lanes.
He worked as an assistant to Abrar Alvi and soon met Akhtar to form one of Hindi cinema's most formidable writing partnerships. They worked together on two dozen movies with most of them achieving blockbuster status.
Other than "Sholay", "Deewar" and "Don", Khan and Akhtar also penned "Trishul", "Zanjeer", "Seeta Aur Geeta", "Haathi Mere Saathi", "Yaadon Ki Baarat" and "Mr India".
