Devoted wife pays tribute to husband of 60 years after he dies in hospital

A devoted wife has paid tribute to her husband of 60 years after he passed away peacefully in hospital.
Dr Shobha Srivastava and her husband Triloki 'Munnoo' Srivastava on their Diamond wedding anniversary.Dr Shobha Srivastava and her husband Triloki 'Munnoo' Srivastava on their Diamond wedding anniversary.
Dr Shobha Srivastava and her husband Triloki 'Munnoo' Srivastava on their Diamond wedding anniversary.

Dr Shobha Srivastava said her husband Triloki, who was affectionately nicknamed Munnoo, was happy in his final days and was “ready to go”.

The couple celebrated their diamond wedding anniversary in June, last year.

Dr Shobha Srivastava on her wedding day.Dr Shobha Srivastava on her wedding day.
Dr Shobha Srivastava on her wedding day.
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The 89-year-old was surrounded by his loved ones in his finals days after being admitted to South Tyneside District Hospital on February 11.

Shobha, 81, who is involved with South Shields-based minority ethnic women’s centre Apna Ghar, said: “He had been poorly for a while now.

“He was 89 and he had a few falls in the last couple of months, but he didn’t really have anything wrong with him physically.

“But I think he just wanted to go – he was ready. He had been saying for a long time that he had aches and pains from his arthritis. He couldn’t really lift his eyes to look at people or watch the TV any more.

Dr Shobha Srivastava and her husband Triloki 'Munnoo' Srivastava pictured by the Shields Gazette during their 40th wedding anniversary.Dr Shobha Srivastava and her husband Triloki 'Munnoo' Srivastava pictured by the Shields Gazette during their 40th wedding anniversary.
Dr Shobha Srivastava and her husband Triloki 'Munnoo' Srivastava pictured by the Shields Gazette during their 40th wedding anniversary.
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“He was admitted to hospital on the 11th and just slowly deteriorated, he just didn’t want to do it any more.”

Triloki lost his appetite during his stay in hospital and told doctors on Friday that he didn’t want any further treatment.

Shobha said: “On Friday, his breathing became quite laboured and a doctor said he would give him something to help, but he said no and that he wanted the treatment to stop – he didn’t want to be on a drip.

“The doctors said they wanted to respect his wishes and Triloki asked for a ‘do not resuscitate’ order to be placed.

Dr Shobha Srivastava and her husband Triloki 'Munnoo' Srivastava on their wedding day.Dr Shobha Srivastava and her husband Triloki 'Munnoo' Srivastava on their wedding day.
Dr Shobha Srivastava and her husband Triloki 'Munnoo' Srivastava on their wedding day.
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“He was the happiest I’d seen him in a while that day. He slept really well and was eating by himself again and was talking away to us all.”

After Shobha and the couple’s three children were told that Triloki had passed away shortly after they left the hospital on Saturday, at around 5.45pm.

Shobha added: “He was ready to go, he’d known for a while, and we had such a happy life together.

“I’ll always have my memories of him.”

Dr Shobha Srivastava on her wedding day.Dr Shobha Srivastava on her wedding day.
Dr Shobha Srivastava on her wedding day.

The couple had faced family disapproval when they married in India in 1955.

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They met in the city of Lucknow, and fell for each other. However, several family members were left upset, with arranged marriage common in the Asian country.

Shobha said: “In those days in India, and even now, nobody liked girls and boys to meet and marry the way we did. He fell in love with me and chased me, and I fell in love with him as well.

“My family was upset for a while, but my dad was very understanding and said I knew what I was doing.”

Shobha came to England in 1975, but visa issues meant she could not be joined permanently by Triloki, or their three children. That led to a 10-year spell when the pair lived apart, although Triloki did make several, extended visits to the UK.

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Shobha worked in Manchester, London and Aldershot before moving to South Shields to become a consultant in the town’s hospital in August 1981. She was eventually joined permanently by her husband in 1985, when their children were all settled and had jobs.

The couple, who also have seven grandchildren, fell in love with the town.

The funeral is currently being arranged.