Islamabad: The nation paid tribute to Arfa Karim Randhawa, the world’s youngest Microsoft Certified Professional, as her 14th death anniversary was observed today (Wednesday), remembering her remarkable achievements and lasting contribution to the field of information technology.
Arfa Karim Randhawa was born on February 2, 1995, in a small village near Faisalabad. She made history in 2004 by becoming the world’s youngest Microsoft Certified Professional (MCP) at the age of just nine, media reports said.
Her exceptional achievement brought her instant recognition in the global IT community, and she remained a source of inspiration throughout her short but remarkable life.
In recognition of her extraordinary talent, Microsoft founder Bill Gates invited her to visit the company’s headquarters in the United States when she was only ten years old.
Arfa Karim received numerous national and international awards for her brilliance in the field of Information Technology.
In 2005, she was awarded the Fatima Jinnah Gold Medal in Science and Technology by the then prime minister of Pakistan and also received the Salaam Pakistan Youth Award the same year. She was later honored with the Pride of Performance award.
To commemorate her legacy, a state-of-the-art software technology park in Lahore has been named after her. Arfa Karim passed away in Lahore on January 14, 2012, at the age of sixteen, following an epileptic attack.