Monday 16 / February / 2026
The recovery of the body of 22-year-old Saketh Sreenivasaiah from Lake Anza near Berkeley has sent shockwaves through the international student community in California. Sreenivasaiah, an Indian graduate student at the University of California, Berkeley, had been missing since February 9, 2026. His passing has sparked an urgent conversation regarding the mental health pressures and "silent struggles" faced by young scholars living far from their support networks.
Authorities located Sreenivasaiah’s remains on Saturday afternoon following an intensive six-day search. The discovery was preceded by the recovery of his personal belongings, including his laptop and passport, found near the lake. Sreenivasaiah was enrolled in a Master of Science program in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, a demanding academic path common among international students on F-1 visas.
His roommate, Baneet Singh, shared a poignant tribute and a warning to others. Singh noted that Sreenivasaiah’s behavior had shifted significantly in the two weeks prior to his disappearance. He described signs of clinical withdrawal, noting that the student had virtually stopped eating—surviving on "crisps and biscuits"—and had expressed a profound sense of apathy.
In one heartbreaking instance, Sreenivasaiah returned from class wearing only a bathrobe, telling his roommate, “I’ve stopped caring, man. I’m cold and don’t care what anyone thinks of me. I don’t care about anything.” Singh admitted that at the time, he mistook the cry for help as a joke.
University officials and local Indian community groups are coordinating to support the family's travel to the U.S. Meanwhile, student advocates are calling for universities to implement more proactive check-in systems for international students who may be showing signs of distress.
