He was born in East Java, and went on to study medicine. While still studying, he was one of three founders of the
Boedi Oetomo Javanese nationalist organisation. From 1919 to 1923, studied medicine at
Amsterdam University and later married a Dutch woman. After returning from the Netherlands, he worked as a doctor in Sumatra and
Surabaya. He also established a number of "study clubs" to raise awareness of nationalism. In 1935, he was one of the founders of Parindra, and led it until his death. After his death he was named a
National Hero of Indonesia.{{Cite book |last=Mirnawati | title=Kumpulan Pahlawan Indonesia Terlengkap ==References==