Indian-origin student Saketh Sreenivasaiah found dead in US: Friend says he 'stopped caring about life' - what we know so far

A 22-year-old Indian postgraduate student who had gone missing in the United States last week has been found dead, the Indian Consulate in San Francisco said on Saturday.

Saketh Sreenivasaiah, a University of California, Berkeley student from Karnataka, had been missing since Monday.

In a post on X, the consulate confirmed that local authorities had recovered his body and said it was in touch with his parents.




"The Consulate deeply regrets to inform that local police have confirmed the recovery of the body of the missing Indian student, Saketh Sreenivasaiah," the Consulate said.

The post also stated that it would extend all necessary support to the family.

"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. @MEAIndia ; @IndianEmbassyUS"

The Consulate General had been assisting in the search and had issued regular updates on the student’s disappearance.

What we know so far

• Sreenivasaiah was pursuing a Master of Science degree at the University of California, Berkeley.

• After a days-long search involving sonar equipment, drones, and divers, authorities recovered Sreenivasaiah’s body from Lake Anza on Saturday afternoon. Divers with the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office located the body shortly after 2.00 pm (local time) and began recovery procedures.

• His backpack, containing his passport and laptop, was found on a doorstep in the Park Hills neighbourhood, The Berkeley Scanner reported.

• In a LinkedIn post on Saturday afternoon, Sreenivasaiah’s roommate identified the man found dead in Lake Anza as Saketh, as cited by the Berkley Scanner.

• He said Sreenivasaiah’s mood had changed about two weeks earlier, noting that he “started eating less and engaging less” and had “stopped caring” about life. He added that he had not initially thought much of the behaviour. “He was always up to something silly,” he wrote, as cited by the Berkley Scanner
• . “Now I know that he really meant it.”

• According to his Sreenivasaiah earned a BTech in Chemical Engineering from IIT Madras, graduating with a CGPA of 8.41, according to his LinkedIn profile.

• He completed his pre-university education at BASE PU College and his schooling at Sri Vani Education Centre, where he scored 96.5 per cent in his Class 10 exams.

• In his profile, he added that he was “passionate about deep tech innovations in soft and active materials, semiconductors, and advanced materials.”