When Dr. Srivastava was studying in ninth standard, he was married to Phool Kumari (Age 13 Years), daughter of Munshi Gauri Shankar Srivastava of Village Khagasiamau, District Sitapur on March 15, 1917 A.D. Their first son Dharma Bhanu was born on February 4, 1924 while Dr. Srivastava was studying in B.A.

Dr. Srivastava had 3 sons, Dharma Bhanu, Satya Bhanu and Daya Bhanu and 3 daughters, Laxmi, Savitri and Saraswati.   Dr. Dharma Bhanu passed M.A. in Economics from University of Lucknow and M.A. and Ph.D in History from Agra University. He contributed papers in important journals and also had written few books.  Shri Satya Bhanu did M.A. in History subject as well as M.A. in Political Science. He also contributed papers to important journals. Both the elder sons served as Principals in the Government Colleges of Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan The youngest son Daya Bhanu retired as Associate Professor of Zoology from Jai Narain Vyas University, Jodhpur who also contributed papers to reputed research journals of the world.  All the three daughters, Laxmi, Savitri and Saraswati passed their M.A. exam in history.

In the year 1973, his wife was operated upon for breast cancer and was undergoing radio therapy. Her condition was deteriorating day after day.

After knowing from the Doctor that his wife will survive only for four to six months, he could not bear the shock.  During that time, he developed an ulcer in his stomach. He regularly felt pain in stomach but started neglecting it and simply skipped his meals.  Hence, the condition of ulcer gradually went on deteriorating.

On July 11, 1973 he experienced severe pain as the ulcer started bleeding. He was rushed to S.N. Hospital, Agra. Doctors tried to save him but could not succeed to improve his health. In the evening of next day, on July 12, 1973, at around 7.40 pm, he breathed his last for his heavenly abode at the age of 74.

He was finalizing the draft of one of his literary works, Akbar the Great Volume-III (Society and Culture in 16th Century India) and wanted to translate and publish this volume in Hindi Language, but he did not live long enough to see it through the Press.

His sudden death was so shocking to his wife that she could no longer stay at the house without her husband. Therefore, she decided to leave Agra, handed over the responsibility of the house to his eldest son and shifted to live with his youngest son at Jodhpur.  On December 26, 1973 at 7.00 pm she also left for her heavenly abode.

Soon after passing the examination of M.A. in 1927, Dr. Srivastava started his research work at the University of Lucknow. All of a sudden, he got a job offer from Maharana Bhupal Government College, Udaipur, Mewar State. He joined there as lecturer, but here also he continued his research work and as and when he got time he visited libraries and research institutions across the Country and continued his studies.

Thus, in early 1932, he was awarded Ph.D.  Degree from University of Lucknow and attained the rare distinction of becoming the first Ph.D. degree holder from the history department of Lucknow University.

In 1934, he was appointed as the head of history department at Government Dungar College, in Bikaner State.  Here also he continued his research work on, Shuja-ud-Daulah the Nawab of Awadh, for his D. Litt Degree.  In early 1938, Agra University awarded him D. Litt degree on his research work on, Shuja-ud-Daulah, Volume - I (Year 1754 - 1765).

In 1943, Dr. Srivastava was appointed as head of the history department at D.A.V. College, Lahore.  He continued his further research on the tenure of Shuja-ud-Daulah from 1765 to 1775. He was awarded D. Litt degree on this work by Lucknow University in 1945. As a result, Dr. Srivastava then became one of those few selected scholars of the Country who were awarded D. Litt degree by two different Universities. In 1946, he was given additional charge of the professor and head of history department, Panjab University, Lahore. 

In 1947, due to partition of the Country into India and Pakistan, Lahore became a part of Pakistan. Therefore, he along with his family shifted to his native Village in District Sitapur, U.P. Thereafter, he joined one of the oldest and most prestigious

Colleges of north India, the Agra College as professor and head of the history and political science department and retired from this Institution on 30th June, 1962.

Soon after his retirement he was appointed Professor Emeritus by the University Grants Commission for a period of five years. After completion of this tenure he was again selected by the UGC for another five years. Thus, even after retirement he continued to remain engaged in research work, writing books and guiding research scholars without any financial difficulty.  Under this UGC Scheme he was required to do research work, to guide research students and write books.

During the last years of his life he wrote and published his finest research work on, "Akbar the Great" in three volumes.

On account of the quality of his research work, he was invited by Encyclopaedia Britannica Inc. USA to write the history of India, for its fifteenth edition (Pages 334 to 430). 

Thus, he joined the group of those few privileged Indians who contributed articles to this prestigious Encyclopaedia.  Dr. Srivastava also contributed articles to the Bengali Encyclopaedia, Calcutta and Marathi Encyclopaedia, Pune.

Dr. Srivastava always taught B.A. classes throughout his life. His towering personality, his knowledge and achievements in the field of historical research influenced and impressed the students and used to develop an urge to study the subject of history and take up research work.

In order to arrive at the correct inferences, he always read the original resources written in Urdu and Persian and from other languages, like, Hindi, Marathi and Arabic. He even took the help of those Maulvis (Clerics) who were well versed in Arabic.

Just like his Grand Guru, Sir Jadunath Sarkar, his observations and inferences were on the basis of authentic arguments and original resources without favouring anybody. He always stated the correct facts and events without any fear or favour even though some of them were unpleasant to a few scholars.

During the eighteenth century the government administration of the Nawabs of Awadh greatly influenced the whole of the Country. Dr. Srivastava authored three volumes on the Nawabs of Awadh. Thereafter, he published three volumes on Mughal Emperor Akbar.

On the basis of authentic evidences and arguments, he not only rejected the misconceptions of the Indian as well as foreign authors but also corrected their wrong contentions, citing examples, on the basis of correct facts and irrefutable arguments. He has also exposed, citing examples, the tendency of the foreign writers to reject the concepts and writings of the Indian historians, that too, with arguments and has shown that in some cases some of the opinions of Indian writers are correct and are more authentic.

His books meant for the University students and for the competitive examinations are also based on original sources.

Students

Dr. Srivastava was engaged in research work, remained engrossed in studies and guided research students throughout his life. Students from all over the Country went to Agra to seek his guidance and help for the award of Ph.D. and D.Litt Degrees. He always helped everybody, without any discrimination, whosoever went to him to pursue research work. He also advised and inspired them to continue their research work even after obtaining the doctoral degrees.

He even inspired some of those persons who were not in the teaching profession to take up research work and guided them in acquiring Ph.D. Degrees in the subject of History and Political Science, for example, Dr. Lal Bahadur and Dr. Kailash Chandra Chaturvedi.

He also helped students to get their research thesis published in the form of books.

Some of the publications which earned praise are as under: