The authorities in the Dominican Republic are currently on the lookout for Sudiksha Konanki, a 20-year-old Indian-origin student of the University of Pittsburgh, who has gone missing while on a spring break vacation with her fellow students.
Sudiksha Konanki was last seen missing on Thursday while on an outing with a group in the resort community of Punta Cana. Local authorities say she went missing while “walking the beach” and has not been heard from or seen since.
A representative of the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office in Virginia verified the news report by indicating, “Our office was contacted on Thursday evening about a missing female from Loudoun County who was with a group of other people traveling in the Dominican Republic, Punta Cana specifically.”
Description and Search Efforts for Sudiksha Konanki
Safaris and authorities have set out in large numbers to find Sudiksha Konanki. Her description is given as 5 feet 3 inches tall, black hair and brown eyes, based on a missing person’s poster. She was wearing a brown bikini, large round earrings, a metal designer anklet on the right leg, yellow and steel bracelets on the right hand, and a multicolored beaded bracelet on the left hand at the time of her disappearance.
Defensa Civil, Dominican Republic’s search and rescue unit, began search operations on Saturday night. They suspended efforts at 8 PM, though, and released plans to continue the search on Sunday.
University of Pittsburgh Extends Support
Pitt officials are in close contact with the family of Sudiksha Konanki and Virginia authorities. University spokesman Jared Stonesifer said, “University officials are in contact with Sudiksha Konanki’s family as well as authorities in Loudoun County, Virginia, and we have offered our full support in their efforts to find her and bring her home safely.”
Background of the Missing Student
Sudiksha Konanki is a University of Pittsburgh student and is slated to graduate in 2026. Her major is not certain according to her LinkedIn profile. Before college, she studied at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in Alexandria, Virginia.
Authorities keep searching, and officials call for anyone with information to report to help find the missing student. The incident has sparked fears over tourist safety in Punta Cana, which is a well-known holiday destination.
