“The ecstasy of being known and identified as her Mother is inexpressible,” said a contented Mother of a Computer prodigy in an interview. In 2004, Arfa Abdul Karim Randhawa at the age of nine made it to the Guinness Book of World Records by becoming the youngest Microsoft Certified Professional (MCP).
Arfa was Born in Lahore, and she moved to Bahawalpur with her family after a few months of birth. Her father was in the Pakistan Army, and Mother was a Housewife. Since childhood, she was a curious, enthusiastic, and disciplined child which clearly shows how she was able to write her first poem at the age of five. Tina Sani’s music and Sufi poetry (Iqbal, Bulleh Shah) played a part in broadening her horizons.
Her curiosity kept on increasing as she started to explore various things around. In Faisalabad, she came across a Desktop computer in school and was wanted to explore it. As per school policies, she wasn’t allowed to visit that laboratory as she was only in grade three. However, her father was the one she knew she can always convince for such luxury items. Now, Arfa had a computer without an instructor. Did she really need an instructor? , perhaps not for an indefinite time. By hit and trial, she learned the basics. To Quench her thirst for that knowledge regarding Computers, her father took her to a nearby learning center.
“She can not coop up as she is just of eight years old, please take her back as we have students of older age,” said an instructor at the center who ultimately assisted Arfa in achieving her (MCP) certification.
After giving the certification exam, Arfa was invited to meet Bill Gates (Co-Founder of Microsoft Cooperation). In the short span of ten minutes, she impressed gates by sharing her passion for making a Digicon valley in Pakistan.
She received the First flight certificate from Dubai on 2nd August 2005 after learning to make command on just three trials and the pilot was blown away by the sheer talent of hers.
In 2006, She was the only Pakistani national who was invited to attend a Developer conference in Barcelona among five thousand other members from various parts of the world.
On 22nd December 2011, she experienced epilepsy seizure following a Cardiac arrest. After staying in CMH hospital for a couple of days, she left the world for eternity on 14th January 2012. While she was in the hospital, Bill gates arranged for an air ambulance so that she gets shifted to the USA but treatment in Pakistan was of no less than any well-developed country.
She has numerous achievements under her banner. Not to mention Pride of Performance, Fatimah Jinnah Gold Medal Award, Salam Pakistan Youth Award, and President’s award for Proud Performance By Government of Pakistan. EVO, 3G’s wireless Broadband company made her brand ambassador in January 2010. Lahore technology Park was renamed as Arfa software technology park to celebrate the achievements of this young and talented wonder girl.
