First-Hand:IEEE Award Recipient Series:Praveen K. Jain

Full name

Praveen K Jain

Birth Date

10/2/1958

What Award did you receive from IEEE?

IEEE Medal in Power Engineering

Place of Birth

Chilkana, India

Where did you grow up

Rural India

Family Background: Parents and their education level & Siblings and their education/profession

Both the parents had a fifth-grade education. My brothers and sisters have BA and MA degrees.

What did you want to do when you grew up?

Become an engineer

What was your upbringing like? Did you have a large family?

I grew up in a large family

Did you have any hobbies (eg. Some people talk about learning trade skills from a family member.)

No

Did you partake in after school activities? Did you play sports?

No

Did you have a part-time job (after school, summer)? What was your most surprising job assignment?

No

Did you take vacations and/or go on day trips?Favorite holiday/family gathering?

Yes, my extended family used to spend at least one week at my grandfather's place in Buria, India every summer.

EDUCATION: Favorite subject in school (K-12, university). Why?

Mathematics

Did you have a least favorite subject in school (K-12, university. Why?

Languages

Why did you select the university (universities) you attended? What was your major and why did you select it?

I studied at the University of Allahabad. This was the only university where English marks were not counted in the entrance exam for engineering. This helped me in obtaining a high ranking and enabled me to study electrical engineering.

Employment and career: First job - Current position - Favorite job

Crompton Greaves, Queen's University

Has your career turned out as you expected?

Yes

Has IEEE played a role in your career? How? What does IEEE mean to you?

Yes, IEEE served as an international forum for me to meet some of the best people from around the world and learn from them.

You have been awarded one of IEEE's highest-level awards. What does this award mean to you?

This symbolizes my life-time work in power electronics in the advancement of society.

What other associations have helped you in your career?

Professional Engineers of Ontario

Career Advice: What advice would you give to young professionals entering your field today?

Be a power electronics engineer.

Reflection: What would you have done differently or tell your younger self now?

I truly enjoyed my professional journey. This is what I really wanted to do.

Was there a project that you were so passionate about that you continued to pursue it even though there may have been doubts about its success?

The introduction of resonant power conversion in the telecommunications industry.

What career achievement are you most proud of?

The first resonant power converter that was used in the switching telecommunications equipment at Nortel Networks.

Personal Life: What do you do for fun? Hobbies?

Walking, reading, and travelling

What personal achievement are you most proud of?

Bringing up two beautiful daughters.

Do you have a favorite food? Or a family recipe that may have been passed down?

Indian food, particularly aloo puri (curried potatoes and puffed, fried bread)

Do you have a favorite genre of music? or a favorite song? Or do you play an instrument?

Lata Mangeshkar, "Aye Mere Watan Ke Logo"

Do you have a prize possession? If so, please explain.

My family heritage

What are three things people may not know about you?

I'm a good cook

Who was your mentor? (eg. family member or professor)

My uncle, Surrender Jain

What is one thing you cannot live without in your work space?

"Power Semiconductor Circuits" by S. B. Dewan

Anything else you would like to share about yourself?

I'm a philanthropist