A 22-year-old Indian student who had been reported missing in California has been found dead six days later, authorities confirmed.
The deceased, Saketh Sreenivasaiah, was a native of Karnataka and a master’s student in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley. He was reported missing on February 9 after he was last seen about a kilometre from the university campus.
The Consulate General of India in San Francisco confirmed that local law enforcement had recovered his body. In a statement, the consulate expressed condolences to his family and said it would extend all necessary support to facilitate the early repatriation of his remains to India.
Consulate General of India in San Francisco is deeply concerned about the disappearance of Saketh Sreenivasaiah, an Indian post-graduate student of UC Berkeley, hailing from the State of Karnataka. The Consulate is in touch with the family and also is in contact with the…
— India in San Francisco (@CGISFO) February 14, 2026
Student’s Backpack, Laptop Found
A large-scale search operation had been launched following his disappearance, focusing on areas around Lake Anza and the Berkeley Hills. During the search, a backpack containing his passport and laptop was discovered near a residence close to Tilden Regional Park, which is located not far from the campus.
Members of the community also joined efforts to locate him, with online forums, including Reddit threads, circulating information and updates to assist in the search.
Who Was Sreenivasaiah?
Sreenivasaiah had previously graduated from IIT Madras before enrolling at UC Berkeley for his postgraduate studies. He completed his schooling at Sri Vani Education Centre in Bengaluru. According to available descriptions, he was about 6 feet 1 inch tall, weighed approximately 160 pounds, and had short black hair and brown eyes.
As per his LinkedIn profile, he was among six individuals credited with holding a patent for developing a “microchannel cooling system for hyperloop and a method thereof.” He has been remembered by peers as intelligent, humble, quick-witted and loyal.
Separately, in response to a question raised in the Lok Sabha by MP Asaduddin Owaisi regarding the safety of Indian students abroad, the Ministry of External Affairs outlined measures taken to support students overseas. The ministry stated that Indian missions and posts maintain regular contact with students enrolled in foreign institutions and conduct orientation sessions upon their arrival. These briefings cover potential risks, challenges and safety precautions, and advisories are issued from time to time when necessary.
Further details regarding the circumstances of Sreenivasaiah’s death have not yet been disclosed.
