Shanker M. Pradhan is an architect/urban planner with an academic background of architecture, urban planning and development. He holds a master's degree in Urban Planning from the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia 1975 and B. Arch (Hons) in Architecture and Regional Planning from I.I.T., Kharagpur. As a Loeb Fellow, he has undertaken an advanced urban environmental studies in Harvard University, USA 1984-85. As a research scholar he studied in the Stuttgart University, Germany on Local Development, 1983. He carried out studies on Management and Innovative Planning of Metropolitan Areas as sponsored by UNCRD, Japan, 1987. He was also awarded a research fellowship, by Life Acadamy/SIDA, Sweden, 2001. to conduct a research programme on Local Environmental Management.

He has undertaken considerable research on environmental management including land, infrastructure and urban poor focusing on measures to improve the efficiency and equity of local development and management.

During his tenure with the HMG/N his appointments included Director General of Housing and Urban Development Department (1988-1992), and Chief Planner (1980-1987), Kathmandu Valley Town Development Board. His service included Chief, Physical Planning Section, and Team-leader, Planning Team, Eastern Regional Development Center (Dhankuta). He combines a wide range of experience in urban and development planning and architecture in many towns in the country. He has project management experience on major urban development projects, technical assistance and housing programmes. To assist municipalities he has provided advice and services in respect of development planning, low-cost housing, ‘site and services’ and settlement upgrading projects, housing design, as well as, providing ‘on job’ training and lecturing in appropriate techniques in planning, housing and building.

He is a member of Mid-Term Review Mission from European Commission on KVMP project of KMC, 2002. He worked as a Regional Planner in the Lumbini Infrastructure Development Project for JICA 2000. He has also worked as a consultant for the United Nations, New York for the review of Lumbini Master Plan Project, 1999. He worked as an urban development specialist at ADB for the appraisal of Bank funded Kathmandu Urban Development Projects (March-July 2000). He also worked as a Team Leader for Local Area Planning Project for ADB/HMG/KMC (1997-1998).

During all stages of development planning, including research, analysis of problems, project identification, feasibility studies, recommendations for action, management, training and implementation he has worked as a coordinator with the concerned Community Based Organizations, NGO’s, INGO’s, Social Organizations, Local Agencies, Government Line Agencies and the Central Government, as and when it was necessary to adopt an approach which not only incorporates social, economic, municipal finance and environmental disciplines, but also institution building, project management, in-housing training and implementation.

He worked as a coordinator for the preparation of Integrated Action Plan for Dhading and Sallyantar (GTZ funded) project 1994. He also prepared a Post Construction Review Manual of School Building Projects in different parts of Nepal (JICA funded) 1995.

He contributed as a consultant for the Review on Housing and Urban Development Project for National Planning Commission/HMGN/World Bank (1993-1994). He provided consultancy on Resource Recovery/Environmental Development Project for the World Bank in 1982. He has prepared a comprehensive study on Management of Land for human settlements for UN ESCAPE, 1989.

He was a visiting lecturer with the Urban Planning Department, and is also an external examiner on M.Sc. urban management programme of the Nepal Engineering Institute, Tribhuvan University.

He is a professional member of American Planning Association as well as International Society of City & Regional Planners. He has participated several domestic and international seminars on urban management and development.