In 1966, Somaya won an American Field Service International Scholarship to study in the United States (North Carolina).

Somaya chose to return to the U.S. and joined Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts, where she graduated in 1973 with a Masters of Arts degree.

One such example is The Nalanda International Schools in Vadodara where she reflects the vernacular architecture by using the locally available resources and techniques, pergolas and courtyard.

She reflects the Indian ethos in her architecture, her designs are called both traditional and sustainable[4] Her work includes corporate, industrial and institutional campuses and extends to public spaces, which she has rebuilt and reinvented as pavements, parks and plazas.

[6] Some of these campuses include Tata Consultancy Services, Banyan Park, Mumbai; Nalanda International School, Vadodara; and Zensar Technologies, Pune.

[8][9][10] She is currently the Chairperson of Board of Governors for School of Planning and Architecture, Vijayawada[11] and has built more than 200 projects in a span of 40 years.

She involved the Muslims family and assigned them for making intricate Bandhani (tie and dye-a fabric work), Patelbhai who were interested in the ecology of the village and employed skilled engineers to create a water reservoir to collect rain water.

To restore fear in people, a 3 RCC plinth Beam was placed: one in the sill, one in the lintel and one in the roof base.

[2][4] Built on 12 acres of land near Vadodara in Gujarat, Nalanda International School started its construction in 2003.