A 22-year-old Indian student, Saketh Sreenivasaiah, has been found dead in California, nearly a week after he went missing. He was pursuing his master's degree at the University of California, Berkeley. Sreenivasaiah was last seen on Feb. 9, as per reports. His body was later recovered by police authorities, a development confirmed by the Indian Consulate in San Francisco, which also assured assistance in sending his mortal remains back to India in a post on X.
Sreenivasaiah, originally from Karnataka, was enrolled in the Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering department at the university. In his LinkedIn profile, he had written, “I'm a Master's student in the Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering department at UC Berkeley, with an undergraduate degree from IIT Madras. I'm passionate about deep-tech innovations in soft and active materials, semiconductors and advanced materials.”
Academic Journey
Sreenivasaiah was pursuing a Master of Science (MS) under the Product Development Programme (PDP) at the University of California, Berkeley, from August 2025 to May 2026. Before this, he completed his Bachelor of Technology (B. Tech) in Chemical Engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology Madras from October 2021 to June 2025.
Before relocating to the US, he spent nearly two years associated with the Polymer Engineering and Colloid Science Lab at IIT Madras. During this period, he worked as an Undergraduate Researcher from September 2024 to May 2025 and as a Young Research Fellow from September 2023 to August 2024.
He also served as a Young Research Fellow at Unilever between September 2023 and June 2024. In addition, he gained corporate experience as a Research and Development Intern at Dr Reddy's Laboratories in Hyderabad from May 2024 to July 2024.
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Student-Driven Initiatives
Outside academics, Sreenivasaiah played an active role in student-driven initiatives at IIT Madras. Through E-Cell IIT Madras, he held various leadership positions for over two years. These included Head of Growth and Strategic Initiatives (June 2023 to March 2024), Executive for Development and Associations (May 2022 to May 2023) and Associative Executive (February 2022 to April 2022). He also served as a Legislator in the Department of Chemical Engineering between April 2024 and May 2025.
Consulate Statement
The Indian Consulate in San Francisco confirmed that authorities had recovered his body and assured full 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,” the consulate said in a statement.
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.
— India in San Francisco (@CGISFO) February 14, 2026
The Consulate stands…
Roommate's Account
According to The Daily Californian, UC Berkeley's student newspaper, Sreenivasaiah's roommate Baneet Singh wrote in a LinkedIn post that he had been facing mental health challenges and urged readers to “take this as a reminder to please reach out to your loved ones and make sure, they're okay.” Singh also wrote that over the past two weeks, Sreenivasaiah had started “eating less and engaging less, only surviving on chips and cookies.”
According to Abc7 News, a citywide search was launched around Lake Anza and the Berkeley Hills after he was reported missing, having last been seen about a kilometre from campus. Later, his backpack, containing his passport and laptop, was recovered near a residence close to Tilden Regional Park, also located near the university.
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