Dr. Jairaj Phatak is an M.Sc. from the Department of Physics, IIT Bombay. He obtained a postgraduate degree from Harvard and a doctorate in Management from the University of Mumbai, in 2004. Dr. Phatak is an IAS officer, belonging to the 1978 batch.

Dr. Phatak became the 25th municipal commissioner of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), India, in May 2007, succeeding Mr. Johny Joseph. He has worked in departments as diverse as urban development, education, food and civil supplies, and rural development. Dr. Phatak has therefore gained the firsthand knowledge of Mumbai’s issues and problems and the expertise to deal with them.

Dr. Phatak has served as the Principal Secretary in Urban Development department of Maharashtra Government. His tenure as Secretary to the Department of Education was lauded for the efforts he made to improve the lots of students.