A Mumbai based couple, Iravati Lavate, 78, and her husband Narayan Lavate, 88, have appealed to the President of India, Ram Nath Kovind, to be granted permission for euthanasia. After having lived a long and happy life, say the Lavates, they think that being alive against their wishes is a “waste of the country’s scarce resources as well as theirs”.

In this documentary by FirstPost (above), the couple, who was interviewed in their Mumbai home, cite several reasons for seeking a “mercy death”. According to their petition, while the childless couple do not suffer from any serious ailment, they feel they are of “no use to either themselves or society”. The couple wishes to be euthanised together, as neither wants to leave the other behind to grieve.

As it turns out, Narayan Lavate has been pursuing this subject since 1987, and has worked closely with the Right to Die with Dignity Society of Bombay. He says in the video, “I tried to convince them about the necessity of having such a legislation”. After exhausting all other avenues of redressal, the Lavates felt they had to reach out to the President.