Who Was Saketh Sreenivasaiah? IIT Madras Graduate Found Dead In California After Going Missing

Last Updated:February 15, 2026, 09:04 IST

Authorities have not yet disclosed the cause of death or further details surrounding the circumstances in which his body was found.

A 22-year-old Indian student from Karnataka, who had been missing in the United States for nearly a week, has been found dead in California, officials confirmed on Sunday.

The Indian Consulate in San Francisco said local law enforcement authorities recovered the body of Saketh Sreenivasaiah, bringing an end to an anxious search that had gripped his family and the Indian student community.

In an official statement, the Consulate said it is coordinating closely with US authorities and will assist the family with all formalities, including the repatriation of his mortal remains to India at the earliest possible time.

Saketh was last seen on February 9 in the vicinity of Tilden Regional Park, a popular recreational area near the university campus.

After he failed to return or contact friends, local police initiated search operations in and around the park and adjoining neighbourhoods.

Authorities have not yet disclosed the cause of death or further details surrounding the circumstances in which his body was found.

His father, Sreenivasaiah, had earlier said the family last spoke to him on the day he went missing and had since been making frantic efforts to trace his whereabouts.

The family remained in contact with his roommates and approached Indian authorities for assistance as days passed without information.

Who Was Saketh Sreenivasaiah?

Saketh Sreenivasaiah was a graduate student in the chemical and biomolecular engineering programme at the University of California, Berkeley.

Prior to moving to the US, he completed his undergraduate studies in chemical engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology Madras.

According to details shared on his LinkedIn profile, Saketh had a keen interest in advanced materials and deep-technology research, particularly in areas related to semiconductors and next-generation engineering solutions.

During the search, police described him as over six feet tall, with short black hair and brown eyes.

With no leads emerging in the initial days, Saketh’s parents wrote to Karnataka Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh on February 13, requesting state-level support to trace their son.

In the letter, they noted that his roommates had searched all known locations before filing a missing-person complaint with the Berkeley Police Department.

The Karnataka government subsequently took up the matter with the Ministry of External Affairs, urging it to intervene through the Indian mission in the US.

In a communication to Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, the state sought continued coordination with local authorities and support for the grieving family.

US authorities have said the investigation is ongoing, and further information is awaited.

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