Saketh Sreenivasaiah, 22, an Indian student at UC Berkeley, was found dead near Lake Anza after going missing. His roommate said he had withdrawn socially, was eating poorly, and showed signs of distress and growing indifference in the weeks before.
The tragic death of 22-year-old Indian student Saketh Sreenivasaiah has left both the academic and Indian expatriate community in deep sorrow, as his roommate’s account sheds light on his emotional state in the weeks leading up to his disappearance and subsequent death in California. Saketh, who was pursuing postgraduate studies at the University of California, Berkeley, was reported missing on February 9, 2026, and his body was discovered near Lake Anza in the Berkeley Hills six days later.
In a poignant LinkedIn post, Saketh’s roommate Baneet Singh shared troubling details about the late student’s behaviour before his disappearance. According to Singh, life had seemed normal until about two weeks before he vanished, when Saketh began showing clear signs of withdrawal. “There were no signs of anything until the last 2 weeks,” Singh wrote, explaining that Saketh had “started eating less and engaging less, only surviving on chips and cookies.” This dramatic change in eating habits and social interaction raised immediate concern.
One of the most jarring recollections shared by Singh was a seemingly casual moment that, in hindsight, hinted at Saketh’s emotional distress. He remembered seeing Saketh return from class wearing a red bathrobe — an unusual sight that prompted Singh to ask, “Why are you wearing a robe to class?” Saketh’s chilling reply was, “I've stopped caring, man. I'm cold and don’t care what anyone thinks of me. I don’t care about anything.” At the time, Singh assumed it was a quirky comment, but later realised how deeply those words reflected Saketh’s state of mind.
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Singh’s reflections go deeper, as he wrote that he initially laughed off the comment because Saketh “was always up to something silly.” But now, he said, “Now I know that he really meant it. The opposite of life was never death, it was indifference. To stop caring, which led to him not caring for his own life, either.” This observation speaks to the emotional numbness Saketh may have been experiencing, likely unnoticed in the days before his disappearance.
Singh also revealed that Saketh had once invited him to Lake Anza on January 21, a place that tragically became the site where his body was found. “Little did I know that would be the same place he’d take his life,” Singh wrote, expressing deep regret and shock.
The Indian Consulate in San Francisco confirmed the recovery of Saketh’s body and stated that it is assisting his family with emergency travel arrangements and the repatriation of mortal remains to India. Authorities have not yet shared the official cause of death, but campus and community reactions underscore a profound sense of loss.
Saketh’s death has sparked renewed discussions about the pressures faced by international students and the importance of mental health awareness and support for those far from home. His roommate’s candid account highlights how subtle changes in behaviour — loss of appetite, social withdrawal and emotional indifference — can be early warnings of deeper struggles that deserve attention and care.
