Indian Consulate confirms death of missing student in California

A 22-year-old Indian student from Karnataka, pursuing a master’s degree at UC Berkeley, was found dead in California six days after going missing, with the Indian Consulate assuring assistance to his family.

New Delhi: A 22-year-old Indian student, Saketh Sreenivasaiah, has been found dead in California, six days after he went missing.

Sreenivasaiah, a native of Karnataka, was pursuing a master’s degree in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley. He was last seen on February 9, around a kilometre away from the campus, prompting a citywide search around Lake Anza and the Berkeley Hills areas.

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The Indian Consulate in San Francisco confirmed that local authorities recovered his body and assured that all necessary assistance would be provided to repatriate his remains to India as soon as possible.

The Consulate posted on X, “The Consulate deeply regrets to inform that local police have confirmed the recovery of the body of the missing Indian student, Saketh Sreenivasaiah. We extend our heartfelt condolences to his family and loved ones during this profoundly difficult time.

The Consulate stands ready to provide all necessary assistance to the family, including coordination with local authorities and arrangements for the repatriation of mortal remains to India at the earliest. Our consular officers are in direct contact with the family and will support them with all required formalities and services.”

During the search, a backpack containing Sreenivasaiah’s passport and laptop was found near a residence close to Tilden Regional Park, not far from the university campus. Community members also mobilized online, creating a Reddit thread to coordinate efforts and aid in locating him.

Sreenivasaiah, an alumnus of IIT Madras, had attended Bengaluru’s Sri Vani Education Centre for his schooling. He is described as six feet one inch tall, weighing about 160 pounds, with short black hair and brown eyes.

He was one of six inventors to hold a patent for a “microchannel cooling system for hyperloop and a method thereof,” according to his LinkedIn profile. Friends and colleagues remember him as a person of quick wit, humility, brilliance, and loyalty.

The recovery of Sreenivasaiah’s body marks a tragic end to a six-day search, with the Indian Consulate committed to providing all support for his family during this profoundly difficult time.