The conversation surrounding assisted dying in the UK stirs deep emotion, reflection, and debate. It cuts to the heart of what it means to be human. For me, this isn’t just an abstract discussion—it’s personal. On my show, Against the Odds, I had the privilege of speaking with a dear friend and Documentary maker in the US who is battling cancer. Despite his pain, his perspective on suffering and life was profound. His story wasn’t just about illness; it was about resilience, choice, and the dignity of living life on his own terms.
That conversation stuck with me because it made me confront questions I had been grappling with for years, especially since watching my own father suffer from severe Parkinson’s before his passing. Seeing him endure the effects of this devastating illness reshaped how I look at life and death. It forced me to develop my own philosophy, one that challenges the intersections of faith, spirituality, and the lived human experience.
These experiences stay with you. They haunt you in moments of stillness when you ask yourself, “Did he have dignity in his suffering?” Or worse, “Did our notion of society equally fail him by not giving freedom of expression by exploring every option? Case in point: the use of medical marijuana.” For me, these questions aren’t just about assisted dying—they’re about what it means to truly honour life in its most fragile, painful moments and the ideas of cultural norms in how we live when it matters.
What is Assisted Dying, and Why Does It Matter?
Assisted dying refers to the legal option for individuals with terminal illnesses to end their suffering with medical support. It’s a concept embraced in parts of the world—Switzerland, Canada, and several US states—but remains illegal in the UK. For families and individuals grappling with terminal illnesses, this creates a devastating paradox. Do you endure prolonged suffering, or do you seek alternative means, often at great personal or financial cost, to end your life on your terms?
For members of the Global Indian community, this debate becomes even more complex. We are a people rooted in tradition, and as with all, there is a belief that life is sacred and that family plays a central role in caregiving. At the same time, we are a modern diaspora exposed to the values of personal autonomy and the dignity of choice. Reconciling these two perspectives within the confines of our mind, I believe, is simple. However, culturally, for some, it is not so easy—it’s uncomfortable, but it’s a conversation we can no longer avoid.
Life, Disease, and Suffering: Challenging Preconceptions
South Asian philosophies often frame suffering as part of the human journey. Hinduism, for instance, sees the soul as eternal, transcending the physical body, while suffering can be interpreted as karma to be endured and transcended. Sikhism emphasizes Chardi Kala—a spirit of optimism even in adversity—and Islam often frames suffering as a divine test of faith.
Yet, my father’s experience and the stories I’ve encountered through my travels tell another truth. Prolonged suffering isn’t just a spiritual challenge; it’s a physical and emotional torment that can strip away dignity and joy.
When I was in Sierra Leone during the Ebola crisis, I met an incredible human who is now a dear friend who went through immense hardship, from witnessing death, destruction and unimaginable suffering during the civil war to navigating a precarious life living in the refugee camps on the boarders and then, of course, being confronted with the fear and politics of Ebola years later, despite trauma he found ways to redefine resilience, but he also acknowledged that suffering, when unrelenting, could rob life of its essence.
These narratives force us to reconsider what dignity truly means. For some, enduring suffering is an act of spiritual courage. For others, choosing to end that suffering is the ultimate act of self-respect.
Faith vs. Autonomy: A Balancing Act
This is where the heart of the debate lies. Faith often teaches us to accept the divine will to see suffering as part of a larger cosmic order. Yet the modern world champions autonomy—the right of the individual to make decisions about their own body and life.
For the Global Indian community, this creates a clash of values. South Asian culture places immense emphasis on family caregiving as an act of love and duty. Assisted dying, however, shifts the burden of choice to the individual. Is that empowering, or does it isolate them from their family and faith?
My own reflections on this stem from the tension between faith and lived reality. As I saw my father endure Parkinson’s, I questioned whether our collective faith traditions fully prepared us for the challenges of modern medicine and aging. At what point does culture no longer serve as a social lubricant to life? At what moment do we assert full control of the lived experience of life without the ideas of others impacting it?
I guess the question it boils down to is, how much of our lived experiences reveal the reality of life itself? Or have we become lost along the way in nostalgia for some era that never truly existed? Do we fully understand the concept of death? And what does it mean whilst alive? Or has our non-fear of the mythical beast robbed us of our ability to connect?
This is one of the most challenging moral questions of our time, forcing us to confront uncomfortable truths about life, death, and suffering.
Logically - on one side, the reality of human pain is undeniable. Terminal illnesses can reduce individuals to shadows of their former selves, leaving them to endure suffering that seems cruel and senseless. Assisted dying, in these cases, can be an act of mercy—a way to restore agency and dignity.
On the other side, life’s sanctity remains central to many faiths and traditions. South Asian philosophies often frame suffering as part of the human condition, to be faced with courage and grace. Does choosing to end life disrupt the cosmic balance? Or is it simply a reflection of modern humanity’s need to assert control over what was once seen as uncontrollable?
Ultimately, this isn’t a debate about right or wrong—it’s about understanding. Assisted dying challenges us to reexamine our preconceptions about life, death, and suffering. For the Global Indian community, this is a moment of reckoning. Can we find a middle ground that honours our lived experiences along with traditions while respecting the realities of modern life? Or will this debate remain a bitter pill, forcing us to confront truths we’re not ready to face?
As I reflect on my father’s journey, the stories of others, and my own philosophy, I can’t help but see this as a deeply personal issue. It’s not about imposing solutions but about creating spaces for compassion, dignity, and understanding.
I invite you to listen to the powerful conversations on Against the Odds, these are stories and lived experiences that are a testament to resilience and a reminder that these debates aren’t just philosophical—they’re deeply human.
Let’s continue this conversation—not with judgment but with open hearts and minds.
