In a powerful commentary on a pressing ethical issue, former DD News Director Archana Datta has made a compelling case against the normalisation of assisted dying. Writing on December 22, 2025, Datta contends that what human beings truly need is connection and compassionate care, not a planned death.
The Core Argument: Care Over Conclusion
Archana Datta's central thesis challenges a growing global trend. She posits that the solution to profound suffering lies not in facilitating death but in radically improving the systems of support for the living. The article, published on December 22, 2025, at 06:18 IST, emphasises that the drift towards legalising assisted dying can be arrested by addressing its root causes: inadequate care and crippling loneliness.
Datta advocates for a multi-pronged approach focused on life-affirming solutions. Her vision hinges on making affordable palliative care universally accessible across India. This specialised medical care focuses on relieving the pain, symptoms, and stress of serious illness, aiming to improve quality of life for both patients and their families.
Building Legal and Social Safeguards
Beyond medical care, the argument extends to creating robust frameworks. Datta calls for establishing strong legal-medical safeguards to protect vulnerable individuals. This implies clear regulations, ethical oversight committees, and stringent protocols to ensure any discussion around end-of-life choices is free from coercion and grounded in patient autonomy and sound medical judgment.
Perhaps the most profound part of the commentary addresses the silent epidemic of isolation. Datta highlights the critical need for social connections initiatives. This suggests community-based programs, support networks, and policy measures designed to combat loneliness, especially among the elderly and those with chronic illnesses, ensuring they feel valued and integrated into society.
The Implications for India's Future
The implications of this perspective are vast for a nation like India, with its diverse socio-economic landscape and evolving healthcare infrastructure. Prioritising palliative care would require significant investment in training healthcare professionals, developing dedicated facilities, and integrating this care into the public health system. It shifts the national conversation from a right to die to a right to quality care and dignity in living.
Furthermore, tackling loneliness demands a societal shift, recognising social well-being as a public health imperative. Initiatives could range from digital literacy for seniors to community engagement programs, fostering a culture where checking on neighbours becomes the norm.
Archana Datta's opinion piece serves as a crucial intervention in the global and national debate on euthanasia and assisted dying. It redirects focus from the end point to the journey, arguing that with proper palliative care, legal safeguards, and meaningful social connection, the desire for a planned death can be profoundly reduced. The path forward, as outlined, is to build a society that cares so effectively that choosing death ceases to feel like the only escape from suffering.
