A family is making an urgent plea for information on a 26-year-old Arizona State University student who disappeared from the Grand Canyon South Rim just days before his master’s degree graduation.
Sandrasht Krishna informed relatives on April 27 that he planned to visit the South Rim en route to Las Vegas but intended to return for final exams and his May 9 ceremony. He has not been heard from since, prompting extensive searches by loved ones and authorities.
Family’s Tireless Efforts
Relatives have scoured the South Rim area multiple times, guided by cellphone data placing Krishna’s last known location between Bright Angel Lodge and Mohave Point. His sister-in-law, Pooja Shivananjappa, shared, “We obviously don’t want to give up, so we have taken our binoculars, we have walked the trail, we have done our own research.”
The family hired a private investigator and remains hopeful. Krishna’s brother, Adarsh Krishna, stated, “We don’t want to believe he’s hurt” and emphasized that his brother “is not the kind of kid who would hurt himself.” Shivananjappa added, “He has a helping hand. As I said, he has the heart of a kid, and we terribly miss him.”
Key Lead: Mysterious Backpack
A good Samaritan turned in Krishna’s backpack to the Bright Angel Lodge lost and found around 7 a.m. on April 27 without leaving a name or discovery location. Officials stress he is not a suspect but seek details to narrow the search.
“This is the whole reason why we are calling, and we are reaching out to everybody to find the person who returned the backpack,” Shivananjappa said. “This is a main piece of evidence as of now. If we can get to know the exact location of the backpack, we can focus on searching that specific area.”
Ongoing Search Operations
More than 30 search and rescue personnel are actively deployed along the South Rim, particularly Hermit Road. Efforts include trail scans, canyon walk-downs, rope insertions, aerial flights, and drones.
Krishna, originally from India and in Arizona since 2024 for his computer science master’s, stands 5-foot-10 with a thin build, about 160 pounds, black hair, and brown eyes. He was last seen in black pants, a white hoodie, and black-and-white Jordans, possibly using rideshare or taxi.
Anyone with information on Krishna or the backpack finder should call the tip line at (888) 653-0009.
