Who is Shoba from A Temporary Matter and what is their importance?

Shoba is a thirty-three-year-old woman, who is married to Shukumar. She is described as tall and broad-shouldered and is the child of immigrants. Shoba and her husband live outside of Boston, and she works in the city as a proofreader. Six months before the time of the story, Shoba's first child was stillborn.