Indian-origin UCSB PhD student Vikram Mubayi was found dead in California’s Big Pine Lakes area after going missing during a solo hiking trip. Authorities are investigating the cause of death.An Indian-origin doctoral student at the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB), has been found dead after he went missing during a solo hiking trip in California’s Big Pine Lakes area, authorities have confirmed.Vikram Mubayi, a PhD student in UCSB’s Department of Chemical Engineering, was found in California’s Inyo National Forest after an extensive search operation, according to the university’s student publication, the Daily Nexus.Mubayi was last in contact with his family at around 8:30 pm on August 1, when he shared his GPS coordinates while hiking. After he failed to return as planned and stopped responding, his family reported him missing.The report prompted a search by the Inyo County Search and Rescue team and the California Highway Patrol. His body was recovered on the evening of August 3.Authorities have not disclosed the cause of death. Investigators said there is currently no indication of foul play, and the circumstances surrounding his death remain under investigation.Who was Vikram Mubayi?Born and raised in Hong Kong, Mubayi was pursuing a PhD in Chemical Engineering at UCSB. His family described him in a Reddit post as a “fairly experienced hiker.”In a self-written biography on the website of Illini 4000, a student-led non-profit organisation, Mubayi said he developed a love for hiking and tennis from an early age.”My mom got me into hiking and tennis pretty much as soon as I learned how to walk,” he wrote.His biography also highlighted his passion for cycling and outdoor activities.Before joining UCSB, Mubayi graduated in 2022 from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) with a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering. During his undergraduate studies, he worked as a research assistant at the Burke Laboratory and served as a teaching assistant.According to his LinkedIn profile, Mubayi’s research at UCSB focused on using bacteria and biological processes to break down plant waste and plastics, aiming to develop sustainable alternatives to petroleum-based products.The investigation into his death is ongoing.