V.K. Phatak is an urban planner with extensive experience across public service, consulting, and academia. His work has shaped major planning efforts in India, particularly through his role at the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA). He contributed to the World Bank-funded Bombay Urban Development Project, led the preparation of the Regional Plan, and played a key role in repositioning Bandra Kurla Complex as a financial and commercial district in Mumbai.

He has served on several national-level bodies, including the Planning Commission Task Force on Urban Development and the National Commission on Urbanization, and has also been a part-time Director at the National Housing Bank.

His consulting experience includes assignments with the World Bank and various urban development agencies in cities such as Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Kolkata, and Dhaka. He authored a report on Land-Based Fiscal Tools for the Ministry of Urban Development, contributing to policy discourse on urban financing.

In academia, he has served as Dean of the Faculty of Planning at CEPT University, where he guided academic restructuring to align planning education with evolving urban and professional needs.