Surya is the seventh of nine children from a retired soldier father and traditional cookie seller mother.

[2] Upon completing his doctoral degree, Surya worked as a theoretical physics consultant at the TJNAF/CEBAF (Continuous Electron Beam Accelerator Facility), Virginia, USA.

In addition, he became a lecturer and researcher of the postgraduate study in the University of Indonesia, specializing in nuclear physics.

In 2006, Surya founded Surya Institute, with the vision with the vision of transforming Indonesia through 30 thousand PhD's in science and technology, supported by the mission to reform Science and Math education in Indonesia.

Now, he is active as a Special Advisor to the Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment (Menko Marves) in the field of technology and informatics