Andhra techie death in US has raised concerns after a 26-year-old software engineer drowned at a California waterfall while celebrating his birthday. (Express Photo)
A 26-year-old software engineer from Bobbili in Vizianagaram district of Andhra Pradesh drowned in a waterfall in Maramec State Park, California, while celebrating his birthday on Sunday.
Singireddy Sai Srihari Krishna was out with two Telugu colleagues to celebrate his 26th birthday and ventured into the pool of the waterfall, but was swept away.
Andhra Pradesh NRI Affairs Minister Kondapalli Srinivas said Krishna’s father, Srinivas, received a phone call from his son’s friend and a police officer about the incident.
Krishna had been living in shared accommodations at Westminster Place in Saint Louis, Missouri. “He had just got a job and was very happy. He started working at Elessent Clean Technologies in December 2025. He received the joining letter on December 12. He struggled a lot after leaving for the US to do his Master’s in 2022. He was a swimming enthusiast. When he was a kid here in Paridi village, he used to jump into every well and canal to swim. He worked as a swimming coach, too, in the US while he was studying. His parents are totally devastated. They had just started breathing easy as he got a job,” said Hari, a cousin of Krishna’s.
His father, Srinivas, used to be a farmer, while his mother, Ramadevi, works as an emergency health worker at Paridi primary healthcare centre. Krishna’s sister is also a software engineer and lives in Andhra Pradesh.
Bobbili MLA R V Ranga Rao said that a friend of Krishna’s called first and informed the family. “He was an expert swimmer. Everyone knew him in Paridi and Bobbili, where he used to compete. As per information given by his friend, they jumped into a small pool at the base of a waterfall and were swimming around when Krishna was swept away by a strong current. He tried to swim back to safety, but according to his friend, their feet got entangled in the roots of a tree in the water. His friends also tried to help him, but it was too deep, and they were helpless. For almost 10 minutes, they tried but could not reach him. The park’s river rescue patrol also reached within 15 minutes, but it was too late,” Rao said, adding, “We are trying to reach the US authorities to ask them to expedite the repatriation of the body.”
Sreenivas Janyala is a Deputy Associate Editor at The Indian Express, where he serves as one of the most authoritative voices on the socio-political and economic landscape of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. With a career spanning over two decades in mainstream journalism, he provides deep-dive analysis and frontline reporting on the intricate dynamics of South Indian governance.
Expertise and Experience
Regional Specialization: Based in Hyderabad, Sreenivas has spent more than 20 years documenting the evolution of the Telugu-speaking states. His reporting was foundational during the historic Telangana statehood movement and continues to track the post-bifurcation development of both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.
Key Coverage Beats: His extensive portfolio covers a vast spectrum of critical issues:
High-Stakes Politics: Comprehensive tracking of regional powerhouses (BRS, TDP, YSRCP, and Congress), electoral shifts, and the political careers of figures like K. Chandrashekar Rao, Chandrababu Naidu, and Jagan Mohan Reddy.
Internal Security & Conflict: Authoritative reporting on Left-Wing Extremism (LWE), the decline of the Maoist movement in former hotbeds, and intelligence-led investigations into regional security modules.
Governance & Infrastructure: Detailed analysis of massive irrigation projects (like Kaleshwaram and Polavaram), capital city developments (Amaravati), and the implementation of state welfare schemes.
Crisis & Health Reporting: Led the publication's ground-level coverage of the Covid-19 pandemic in South India and major industrial incidents, such as the Vizag gas leak.
Analytical Depth: Beyond daily news, Sreenivas is known for his "Explained" pieces that demystify complex regional disputes, such as river water sharing and judicial allocations between the sister states. ... Read More
