Who Is HB Karibasamma? All About the Euthanasia Activist Who Donated INR 10 Lakh to 'Bharat Ke Veer' Fund
86-year-old euthanasia activist and retired teacher H B Karibasamma donated INR 10 lakh from her personal savings to the 'Bharat Ke Veer' fund for soldiers' welfare. Currently battling advanced ovarian cancer, she presented the check to Davanagere authorities. Karibasamma is known for her 24-year legal campaign to legalize passive euthanasia in India.
- Read in
- हिंदी
Veteran euthanasia activist and retired schoolteacher HB Karibasamma has donated INR 10 lakh to the "Bharat Ke Veer" fund for the welfare of India's border security personnel. The 86-year-old, who is currently battling advanced ovarian cancer and severe spinal complications, presented the contribution to Davanagere Deputy Commissioner G M Gangadharaiah from her personal savings.
A Lifelong Savings Dedicated to the Nation
Karibasamma, who resides in a local old-age home with her husband, accumulated the sum through her government teaching pension and by selling her personal residential property. Despite facing multi-organ illness and escalating medical expenses, she chose to redirect her remaining wealth to support the families of soldiers deployed at the nation's borders. Why a Surat Elderly Couple Is Seeking Euthanasia After Years of Legal Battles.
The administrative framework received the amount under the "Bharat Ke Veer" initiative, a central trust that provides financial assistance to the families of central armed police forces who lay down their lives in the line of duty.
Who Is Euthanasia Activist HB Karibasamma?
HB Karibasamma is a pioneering right-to-die advocate in India, recognised for her 24-year legal and social campaign to legalise passive euthanasia. A retired government schoolteacher from Karnataka, her activism began in the late 1990s after a severe slipped disc left her mostly bedridden with debilitating, unmanageable chronic pain. Faced with a legal framework that criminalised end-of-life choices, Karibasamma petitioned the Karnataka High Court in 1998, followed by appeals to the Supreme Court, multiple Indian Presidents, and Prime Ministers.
In 2010, she collected 10,000 public signatures to force policy discussions on allowing terminally ill individuals to die with dignity. Her independent stance led to profound personal sacrifices, including an estrangement from her immediate family after she liquidated her home to independently finance her legal advocacy without external donations.
Legal Milestones and Continuing Advocacy
Karibasamma's multi-decade campaign achieved a landmark milestone when the Karnataka state health department formally issued an administrative circular operationalising passive euthanasia frameworks. This directive established the essential medical boards required to withdraw life support for non-responsive, terminally ill patients in accordance with Supreme Court guidelines.
“I deposited Rs 6 lakh in a bank to donate to the BSF soldiers' welfare fund and plan to raise Rs 10 lakh in total for the welfare of our border security forces,” Karibasamma previously stated during her legal journey. Having now completed that financial objective, she continues to lobby the government to establish standardised, accessible euthanasia guidelines across all state-run public hospitals to assist economically disadvantaged patients facing terminal suffering.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 23, 2026 04:23 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
