Archive · 7 Aug 2026
Indian-Origin PhD Student Found Dead After Solo Hike in California
There was a university student named Vikram Mubayi who was studying chemical engineering in California.
He went on a hiking trip by himself in the mountains near a place called Big Pine Lakes.
While he was hiking, he talked to his family and shared his location from his phone.
After that call, his family could not reach him anymore.
His family told the police, and search teams went out to look for him in the mountains.
Sadly, searchers found his body in the Big Pine Lakes area on August 3.
The police do not think anyone hurt him, but they have not yet said what happened.
His family described him as a fairly experienced hiker who loved being outdoors.
His research used bacteria to break down plant waste and plastics to help the environment.
Everyone who knew him is very sad, and the investigation is still going on.
Vikram Mubayi, an Indian-origin PhD candidate in chemical engineering at UC Santa Barbara, was found dead after going missing during a solo hike in California's Big Pine Lakes area.
He last contacted his family at around 8:30 pm on August 1, sharing his GPS coordinates from the trail; his car was later found at the trailhead.
His family reported him missing to the Inyo County Sheriff's Office, prompting a search by Inyo County Search and Rescue volunteers and the California Highway Patrol.
His body was recovered from the Big Pine Lakes area in the Inyo National Forest on the evening of August 3; authorities say there is no sign of foul play and the case remains under investigation.
Born and raised in Hong Kong, Mubayi earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in 2022 and researched bacteria that break down plant waste and plastics at UCSB.
- Who
- Vikram Mubayi, an Indian-origin PhD candidate in chemical engineering at the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB).
- What
- Went missing during a solo hike in the Big Pine Lakes area and was later found dead; his body was recovered after a search operation.
- When
- He last contacted his family around 8:30 pm on August 1; his body was found on the evening of August 3.
- Where
- Big Pine Lakes area in California's eastern Sierra Nevada (Inyo National Forest).
- Why
- The exact circumstances of his death remain under investigation; authorities have said there is no sign of foul play.
- Victim
- Vikram Mubayi, Indian-origin PhD candidate
- University
- University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB)
- Department
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Robert Mehrabian College of Engineering
- Undergraduate Degree
- Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (2022)
- Last Contact
- Around 8:30 pm on August 1, 2026, with GPS coordinates shared
- Body Found
- August 3, 2026, in the Big Pine Lakes area (Inyo National Forest)
- Search Agencies
- Inyo County Sheriff's Office, Inyo County Search and Rescue, California Highway Patrol
- Investigation Status
- No sign of foul play; circumstances under investigation
Sources
Indian-origin PhD student Vikram Mubayi found dead after going missing during solo hike in California
Indian-origin PhD student Vikram Mubayi, who went missing on solo hike in California, found dead
Indian-Origin PhD Student, Who Went Missing During Hike In US, Found Dead
Indian-Origin PhD Student In California Found Dead In Big Pine Lakes After Going Missing On Sierra Hike
