[2] He graduated from St Xavier's college, Calcutta in 1893, and at an early stage in his life he became involved in the Indian nationalist movement.
[2] Surendranath is also believed to have been involved in the early phase of revolutionary movement for Indian independence, when he served as the treasurer of the Anushilan Samiti established under Pramatha Mitra.
[3][4] Surendranath is credited with establishing a number of Indian-owned banks and insurance companies through which he sought to encourage indigenous industries.
[2] Surendranath's work in the initial stages of establishment of Visva-Bharati is considered crucial,[2] and he sat in the university's publishing board.
Surendranath's own noted literary works included essays on various aspects of Science which were published in the magazines Sadhana and Bharati.