Phatak began his professional career first in the editorial department of Marathi daily
Induprakash (इंदुप्रकाश ) and then during 1923 – '35 in that of daily
Nava Kal (नवा काळ), which Krushanaji Prabhakar Khadilkar had newly started in 1923. In 1935, Phatak joined the faculty of Ruia College in
Mumbai as a professor of Marathi. He wrote articles on diverse topics in the periodicals
Wiwidh Dnyan Wistar (विविधज्ञानविस्तार),
Chitramaya Jagat (चित्रमयजगत), and
Wiwidha Wrutta (विविधवृत्त). He often expressed thoughts which ran contrary to ones prevalent in the society at that time. His writings included some biographical sketches under the pen name
Antarbhedi (अंतर्भेदी). Phatak once wrote a detailed critique of
Bal Gangadhar Tilak's biography by Narhar Chintaman Kelkar. He pointed out the irrelevant verbiage and errors in that biography, and criticized the biographer's occasionally displayed lack of comprehension of cause-and-effect in certain historical events. ==Biographical works==