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IIT to UC Berkeley: Who was Saketh Sreenivasaiah? Indian student found dead in US
Saketh Sreenivasaiah was a young engineering graduate with a strong academic background in India and the United States.
A 22-year-old Indian student who had been missing in the United States since February 9 has been found dead, India’s mission in San Francisco confirmed on Sunday, bringing a tragic end to days of uncertainty for his family.
In a statement, the Consulate said local police had located the body of Saketh Sreenivasaiah. “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,” it said.
Saketh was last seen near a lake at the Tilden Regional Park in California, following which local police authorities launched a search operation in and around the park area to trace the student, according to reports.
His father, Sreenivasaiah, said he last spoke to his son on February 9 and that the family has been trying to gather information since then. “We still haven’t been able to locate him. We are in touch with his roommates and others. We have written to the government seeking support and assistance to find our son,” he told news agency PTI.
Details on the circumstances surrounding his death have not been made public, as of now.
Who was Saketh Sreenivasaiah
Saketh Sreenivasaiah was a young engineering graduate with a strong academic background in India and the United States.
According to his LinkedIn profile, he was a Master’s student in the Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering department at the University of California, Berkeley.
Before moving to the US, he completed his Bachelor of Technology in chemical engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras.
On his LinkedIn page, he described himself in his own words: “I'm a Masters 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.”
Police documents described him as 6 feet 1 inch tall, with short black hair and brown eyes, as authorities launched efforts to trace him.
Family sought government help before
Days before Saketh was found dead, his parents had written to Karnataka chief secretary Shalini Rajneesh on February 13, seeking the state government’s cooperation and assistance in tracing him.
In the letter, they said his roommates had searched all known places and, after confirming he was untraceable, lodged a formal complaint with the Berkeley police department.
On Saturday, the Karnataka government also reached out to the Centre, requesting the ministry of external affairs to extend support.
In a letter to foreign secretary Vikram Misri, chief secretary Rajneesh wrote: “It is requested that the ministry of external affairs, through the Consulate General of India in San Francisco, extend all necessary assistance, including coordination with local law enforcement and facilitation of support to the family.”
