Surjyatapa is an Urban Development Expert with over 7 years of technical experience including 4 years of end-to-end project management experience, driving sustainable, inclusive, and climate-resilient urban transformation. She has led high-impact projects and policies on city decarbonization, large scale infrastructure development, sustainable public space design, and nature-based solutions for small water bodies rejuvenation across Indian cities. Landmark national and international projects include the Pune River Rejuvenation Project in India, and the Rizhsky Freight Yard Mixed-Use Development in Russia. Her recent work at Jana Urban Space Foundation,Bengaluru focuses on policy drafting, government advocacy, and research at the intersection of urban design and planning, climate resilience, gender equity, and social inclusion. 

Previously, Surjyatapa worked as an Urban Designer at Nikken Sekkei, Tokyo, and as an Architect at HCPDPM, Ahmedabad. She is a recipient of the Norman Foster Foundation 2019 On Cities Fellowship.