Ailing ex-diplomat unaware of wife’s demise

Once upon a time, he was the man who knew the pulse of nations, but on Friday when his lifelong companion passed away, P K Menon failed to realise it.

Menon, former Council General of India to the US, has been lying in a coma for the last eight years. His wife Dr Shantha Menon died here on Friday.

P K Menon and Dr Shantha Menon, fitted the description of a power-couple on many grounds. While one was taking the world and his country forward with his diplomatic prowess, the other was serving a different population, pregnant women and mothers from the Caribbean Islands to the bustling New York city. She was a gynaecologist and an obstetrician by profession while P K Menon was with the Indian Foreign Service. But all that changed overnight, when P K Menon was struck by a brain haemorrhage.

“He was a great man who has authored several books on International Law and taught in several renowned universities. He was the first Indian to address the American Bar Council and the scientific advisor to the UN Secretary General. But disaster struck in the form of the brain haemorrhage. The couple were in the US at that time. Though operations were conducted it was of no use. It was then that we thought of returning back to India,” said Subash Kumar, nephew of P K Menon.

From then on, they were confined to the ambience of a hospital here. P K Menon was lodged in the ICU, and his wife even stopped visiting her house in Mannar to take care of him.The ordeal continued for eight long years.

“She was suffering from a number of illnesses including high BP and diabetes. Pneumonia struck her and all of a sudden she succumbed,” said her nephew.

Meanwhile, Menon who is lying still in his bed has no idea about the demise of his companion.  With no children to assist him, the responsibility falls on relatives to look after the ailing man.