Indian student missing in US; backpack found near regional park
What's the story
Saketh Sreenivasaiah, a 22-year-old Indian student at the University of California, Berkeley, has been missing since February 10. The Karnataka native was last seen about a kilometer from campus. A backpack with his passport and laptop was later discovered near Tilden Regional Park. Local authorities are now focusing their search efforts on Lake Anza and the Berkeley Hills area.
Consular assistance
Indian consulate involved in search
The Indian Consulate in San Francisco is also involved in the search for Sreenivasaiah. They are coordinating with local authorities and his family. The consulate has expressed deep concern over his disappearance and is working tirelessly to locate him. Meanwhile, community members have mobilized online efforts to aid the search, with a Reddit thread discussing concerted efforts to locate him.
Background details
Who is Saketh Sreenivasaiah
Sreenivasaiah is a postgraduate student of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at UC Berkeley. He is an alumnus of IIT Madras and studied at Sri Vani Education Centre in Bengaluru. His LinkedIn profile mentions he co-invented a "microchannel cooling system for hyperloop and a method thereof." The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has highlighted its efforts to keep Indian students safe abroad.
Safety measures
MEA on safety of Indian students abroad
The MEA has said it keeps regular contact with Indian students in foreign universities and conducts pre-orientation sessions to brief them on potential challenges and precautions. The ministry also encourages students to connect with local Indian Missions through platforms like the MADAD Portal and emergency hotlines. In case of emergencies, the government has undertaken large-scale evacuation operations such as Operation Devi Shakti (Afghanistan) and Operation Ganga (Ukraine).
Twitter Post
Statement by India's Consulate General in San Francisco
Consulate General of India in San Francisco is deeply concerned about the disappearance of Saketh Sreenivasaiah, an Indian post-graduate student of UC Berkeley, hailing from the State of Karnataka. The Consulate is in touch with the family and also is in contact with the…
— India in San Francisco (@CGISFO) February 14, 2026