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| Arfa Karim, youngest Microsoft Certified Professional in the world. |
By: Hammad Suriya
Arfa Karim Randhawa (ارفع کریم رندهاوا) [2 February 1995 – 14 January 2012] was a Pakistani student and computer intellect, who at the age of nine years became Microsoft Certified Professional (MCP), the youngest in the world. She was invited by Bill Gates to visit the Microsoft Headquarters in the USA. A science park in Lahore & the IT Media City in Karachi has been renamed as 'Arfa Software Technology Park' and 'Arfa Karim IT Media City'.
Arfa Karim received President's Award for Pride of Performance, a civil award usually given to people who have shown excellence in their respective fields over a long period of time. Arfa is the youngest receiver of this award.
Arfa Karim was presented the Fatimah Jinnah Gold Medal in the field of Science and Technology by the Prime Minister of Pakistan.
She also received the Salaam Pakistan Youth Award again from the President of Pakistan.
At the age of 16, Arfa Karim was studying at the Lahore Grammar School Paragon Campus in her second year of A-levels. On 22 December 2011 she suffered a cardiac arrest after an epileptic seizure that damaged her brain, and was admitted to Lahore's Combined Military Hospital (CMH) in critical condition.
On 9 January 2012, Bill Gates, contacted Arfa's parents and directed his doctors to adopt "every kind of measure" for her treatment. Fiza Batool Gilani, daughter of Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani, and other government officials visited Combined Medical Hospital (CMH) to inquire after Arfa Karim Randhawa.
Gates set up a special panel of international doctors who remained in contact with her local doctors. The panel received details about her illness and provided assistance in diagnosis and treatment.
On 14 January 2012, 16-year-old Arfa Karim died at 9:50 PM (Pakistan Standard Time) at Combined Military Hospital (CMH) Lahore. Her Namaz-e-Janaza was offered in Lahore on 15 January 2012, and later at Faisalabad the same day. The funeral was attended by the Chief Minister of Punjab. She was buried at her ancestral village in Faisalabad.
The International Youth Day this year would be named after youngest IT expert, late Arfa Karim. This was stated by the Sindh Minister for Youth Affairs. The Minister further pointed out that the Karachi IT Park has already been named after Arfa Karim.
Arifa Karim was a talented daughter of Pakistan who enlightened the country in the entire world through her God gifted abilities in her early age.
Microsoft chief Bill Gates was saddened to learn about the death of Pakistan's Arfa Karim who became the world's youngest Microsoft certified professional in 2004. While Remembering Arfa, Bill Gates mentioned her patriotism in his message and said,
“Today is the black day of my life and same for Pakistan because I lost my princess colleague and Pakistan lost her Pakistani.”
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| Arfa with Microsoft Chief 'Bill Gates' @ Microsoft HQ. |
