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{{short description|Indian electrical engineer|bot=PearBOT 5}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=October 2018}}

{{Infobox scientist
| image = Professor Jayant Baliga.jpg
| alma_mater = [[Indian Institute of Technology, Madras]]
| awards = [[Global Energy Prize]]
}}

'''Bantval Jayant Baliga''' (born {{Birth date|year=1948|month=4|day=28|df=yes}}) is an Indian [[electrical engineer]] best known for his work in [[power semiconductor device]]s, and particularly the invention of the [[insulated gate bipolar transistor]] (IGBT).<ref name="electronicdesignbaliga2010">{{cite news
| url = https://electronicdesign.com/analog/b-jayant-baliga-designing-insulated-gate-bipolar-transistor
| title = B. Jayant Baliga: Designing The Insulated-Gate Bipolar Transistor
| last = Edwards
| first = John
| date = 22 November 2010
| newspaper = [[Electronic Design (magazine)|Electronic Design]]
| access-date = 16 January 2017
}}</ref><ref name="invent">{{cite web |title=NIHF Inductee Bantval Jayant Baliga Invented IGBT Technology |url=https://www.invent.org/inductees/bantval-jayant-baliga |website=[[National Inventors Hall of Fame]] |access-date=17 August 2019}}</ref>

In 1993, Baliga was elected as a member into the [[National Academy of Engineering]] for contributions to power semiconductor devices leading to the advent of smart power technology, and in 2024, won the Finnish [[Millennium Technology Prize]] for his invention of the IGBT.<ref name=MTP2024>{{cite web |url=https://millenniumprize.org/winners/revolutionizing-global-electrification/ |title=Revolutionizing global electrification Bantval Jayant Baliga |work=Millennium Technology Prize |date= |access-date=September 17, 2024 |quote=technological innovations for a better life. The winning innovations are globally accessible and are based upon ethically sound academic and scientific research. }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Chowdhury |first=Hasan |date=2024-09-05 |title=Meet the professor who just won the Millennium Technology Prize — and $1.1 million |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/millennium-technology-prize-baliga-semiconductor-invention-igbt-changed-world-2024-9 |access-date=2024-09-21 |website=Business Insider}}</ref>

== Early life and education ==
Baliga grew up in [[Jalahalli]], a small village near [[Bangalore]], [[India]]. Jayant studied at [[Bishop Cotton Boys' School|Bishop Cotton Boys' School, Bangalore]]. He received his B.Tech in Electrical Engineering from the [[Indian Institute of Technology, Madras]] in 1969, and his MS (1971) and PhD (1974) in Electrical Engineering from the [[Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute]].<ref name="electronicdesignbaliga2010" /> Bantwal Vittal Manjunath Baliga, was one of India's first electrical engineers in the days before independence and founding President of the Indian branch of the [[Institute of Radio Engineers]], which later became the [[IEEE]] in India. Baliga's father played pivotal roles in the founding of Indian television and electronics industries.<ref name="electronicdesignbaliga2010" /><ref name="forbes">{{cite news |last=Prasad |first=Shishir |date=25 February 2012 |title=Jayant Baliga's invention is a power saver |url=https://www.forbesindia.com/article/innovation-special/jayant-baligas-invention-is-a-power-saver/32328/1 |access-date=16 January 2017 |newspaper=[[Forbes India]]}}</ref> During his childhood his father inspired him a lot. Baliga remembers reading IEEE proceeding during his high school days which were brought home by his father. He graduated from high school in 1963.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Oral-History:B. Jayant Baliga |date=14 April 2022 |url=https://ethw.org/Oral-History:B._Jayant_Baliga}}</ref>

== Career ==
He worked 15 years at the [[General Electric]] Research and Development Center in [[Schenectady, New York]]. In the early 1980s, he invented the [[insulated gate bipolar transistor]] that combines sciences from two streams: Electronics engineering and Electrical engineering. It is a transistor switch that was immediately put into production once invented.

This has resulted in cost savings of over $15 trillion for consumers, and is forming a basis for smart grid. This device is in use in many machines and devices using electricity, from kitchen appliances, medical devices, and electric cars to the electric power grid itself.

He joined [[North Carolina State University]] in 1988 as a Full Professor. He was promoted to Distinguished University Professor in 1997. He continues to innovate in electronics, even as an emeritus professor.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.ncsu.edu/2024/09/nc-states-jayant-baliga-wins-millennium-technology-prize/ |title=NC State's Jayant Baliga Wins Millennium Technology Prize |work=NC State University News |date=September 4, 2024 |first=Matt |last=Shipman |access-date=September 17, 2024 }}</ref>

He has founded three companies that made products based on semiconductor technologies.<ref name="forbes" /><ref name="thehindunegativefootprint">{{cite news |url=http://www.thehindu.com/business/Industry/Man-with-a-huge-'negative'-carbon-footprint/article14581996.ece
| title = Man with a huge 'negative' carbon footprint
| last = Desikan
| first = Shubashree
| date = 21 August 2016
| newspaper = The Hindu
| access-date = 16 January 2017
}}</ref><ref name="theeconomictimesigbtsicarb">{{cite news
| url = https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/science/meet-jayant-baliga-the-inventor-of-igbt-who-is-working-to-kill-his-own-invention/articleshow/53424523.cms
| title = Meet Jayant Baliga - the inventor of IGBT who is working to kill his own invention
| last = Pulakkat
| first = Hari
| date = 28 July 2016
| newspaper = The Economic Times
| access-date = 16 January 2017
}}</ref>

== Recognition ==
*Baliga is a Member of the [[National Academy of Engineering]] (1993) and the European Academy of Sciences (2005), as well as an [[IEEE Fellow]] (1983).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ieee.org/membership_services/membership/fellows/chronology/fellows_1983.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120802204233/http://www.ieee.org/membership_services/membership/fellows/chronology/fellows_1983.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=2 August 2012 |title=Fellow Class of 1983 |publisher=[[IEEE]] |access-date=2012-01-25}}</ref>
* He received the 1991 IEEE Newell Award, 1993 [[IEEE Morris N. Liebmann Memorial Award]], 1998 IEEE [[J J Ebers Award]], and 1999 [[IEEE Lamme Medal]].<ref>{{cite web|title=IEEE Lamme Medal Recipients |url=http://www.ieee.org/documents/lamme_rl.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110629015627/http://www.ieee.org/documents/lamme_rl.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-date=29 June 2011 |publisher=IEEE |access-date=2012-01-25}}</ref>
* He holds 120 U.S. patents.<ref name="ncsubaliga">{{cite web
| url = https://www.ece.ncsu.edu/people/bjbaliga
| title = Dr. Jayant Baliga
| publisher = [[North Carolina State University]]
| access-date = 16 January 2017
}}</ref>
* In 1997, Scientific American magazine included him among the 'Eight Heroes of the Semiconductor Revolution' when commemorating the 50th anniversary of the invention of the transistor.<ref name="ncsubaliga" /><ref name="sciamsolidstatecentury">{{cite journal
| editor1-first = John
| editor1-last = Rennie
| first1 = Glenn
| last1 = Zorpette
| title = Fifty Years of Heroes and Epiphanies
| url = https://www.scribd.com/document/254621069/Scientific-american-special-edition-1997-12-Solid-State-Century
| year = 1997
| journal = [[Scientific American]]
| volume = 8
| issue = 1
| page = 7
| access-date = 16 January 2017
| issn = 1048-0943
| quote = And it may not be too soon to identify a few new candidates for hero status—people such as the quantum-well wizard Federico Capasso of Lucent Technologies (which includes Bell Labs) and B. Jayant Baliga, the inventor of the IGBT, who describes his transistor in this issue
}}</ref>
* In 2011, he was awarded the [[National Medal of Technology and Innovation]], the highest award for an engineer in USA by US President [[Barack Obama]].<ref name=forbes/><ref name=WhiteHousePressRelease>[https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2011/09/27/president-obama-honors-nation-s-top-scientists-and-innovators President Obama Honors Nation’s Top Scientists and Innovators], 27 September 2011, The White House, Office of the Press Secretary, whitehouse.gov</ref>
* In 2014, he was awarded the [[IEEE Medal of Honor]], "For the invention, implementation, and commercialization of power semiconductor devices with widespread benefits to society."<ref>{{cite web|title=IEEE 2014 Medals and Awards Recipients|url=http://theinstitute.ieee.org/people/achievements/recipients-of-the-2014-medals-and-awards|publisher=[[IEEE]]|access-date=2014-02-14|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140224000716/http://theinstitute.ieee.org/people/achievements/recipients-of-the-2014-medals-and-awards|archive-date=24 February 2014|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref>
* In 2015, he received the [[Global Energy Prize]] for invention, development and commercialization of Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor, which is one of the most important innovations for the control and distribution of energy.<ref name="thehindunegativefootprint" /><ref name="theeconomictimesigbtsicarb" /><ref name="gep2015">{{cite web
| title = 2015
| author =
| date =
| url = https://globalenergyprize.org/en/laureates/2015
| publisher = Global Energy Association
| access-date = 16 January 2017
}}</ref>
* In 2016, Baliga was inducted into the [[National Inventors Hall of Fame]].<ref name="forbesnihf">{{cite news
| url = https://www.forbes.com/sites/frederickallen/2016/05/06/the-man-with-the-worlds-largest-negative-carbon-footprint-along-with-15-other-geniuses-honored/#4a85e4e84a13
| title = The Man With The World's Largest Negative Carbon Footprint And 15 Other Geniuses Honored
| last = Allen
| first = Frederick E.
| date = 6 May 2016
| newspaper = [[Forbes]]
| access-date = 16 January 2017
}}</ref><ref name="invent"/>
* He was the Chief Guest for the 53rd Convocation at [[IIT Madras]] held on 22-07-2016. He was awarded Doctor of Science (Honoris Causa) in the ceremony.<ref>{{cite web|title=IIT Madras 53rd Convocation|url=http://web.iitm.ac.in/convocation/node/3|access-date=21 July 2016|archive-date=26 December 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161226025432/http://web.iitm.ac.in/convocation/node/3|url-status=dead}}</ref>

*In September 2024, it was announced that Baliga won the million Euro [[Millennium Technology Prize]], supported by the Republic of Finland. The award ceremony is held on October 30, 2024 in Finland. He was honored for his invention in the 1980s of the Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor (IGBT), which has dramatically increased the efficiency of devices using electricity, allowing precise digital switching of electricity. The device is used in wind and solar technology, in electric cars, in devices for maintaining or investigating human health, in kitchen appliances and more.<ref name=MTP2024 /><ref name=LiWired2024>{{cite magazine |url=https://wired.me/technology/igbt-semiconductor-transistor/?fbclid=IwY2xjawFHgYtleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHR62QcPDu8th7TaOssKekFav9rrNUX9issiT0zLfm9K2KHGl7y0ODa36rA_aem_YY5tNBH-ZfezoSnU5n0cUQ |title=This semiconductor transistor is the hidden technology that offsets 82 gigatons of CO2 |magazine=Wired |date=September 4, 2024 |first=Yunqi |last=Li |access-date=September 17, 2024 }}</ref>

== Bibliography ==
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!No.
!Title
!Publisher
!Year
![[ISBN]]
|-
|1
|Epitaxial Silicon Technology
|Academic Press Inc
|1986
|9780120771202
|-
|2
|Modern Power Devices
|John Wiley & Sons
|1987
|9780471819868
|-
|3
|Power Semiconductor Devices
|Wadsworth Publishing Co Inc
|1995
|9783030067656
|-
|4
|Silicon Carbide Power Devices
|World Scientific Publishing Company
|2006
|978-981-256-605-8
|-
|5
|Fundamentals of Power Semiconductor Devices
|Springer
|2018
|978-3319939872
|-
|6
|The IGBT Device: Physics, Design and Applications of the Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor
|Elsevier
|2022
|978-0323999120
|-
|7
|Modern Silicon Carbide Power Devices
|World Scientific Publishing Company
|2023
|978-9811284274
|}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== Further reading ==
* [https://www.ece.ncsu.edu/people/bjbaliga NCSU biography]
* [https://www.lib.ncsu.edu/findingaids/mc00568 Guide to the B. Jayant Baliga Papers 1984-2002]
* [http://www.apnatriangle.com/Inspirational-Triangle-Indians/drjayanthbaliga ApnaTriangle.com interview with Dr Jayant Baliga] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150203061623/http://www.apnatriangle.com/Inspirational-Triangle-Indians/drjayanthbaliga |date=3 February 2015 }}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Baliga, B. Jayant}}
[[Category:American electrical engineers]]
[[Category:IIT Madras alumni]]
[[Category:Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute alumni]]
[[Category:North Carolina State University faculty]]
[[Category:Indian emigrants to the United States]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:General Electric people]]
[[Category:Fellows of the IEEE]]
[[Category:Members of the United States National Academy of Engineering]]
[[Category:IEEE Medal of Honor recipients]]
[[Category:Engineers from Karnataka]]
[[Category:People from Bangalore Rural district]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian engineers]]
[[Category:1948 births]]
[[Category:IEEE Lamme Medal recipients]]
[[Category:American people of Kannada descent]]
[[Category: Bishop Cotton Boys' School alumni]]

B. Jayant Baliga - Revision history

Shivam at 23:00, 28 December 2025