Microsoft's youngest professional has died, aged 16. Bill
Gates's grief as girl computer genius and dies after epileptic fit aged just
16. Condolences have poured in from around the world after the passing of
promising young computer genius Arfa Karim Randhawa, from Faisalabad, Pakistan.
The teenager died
on Saturday night after complications resulting from an epileptic stroke.
Microsoft founder Bill Gates, who offered to pay for Karim's treatment, told
the family he was sad to learn of her death and the loss of such a rare talent,
her father said.
Young genius: Arfa Karim Randhawa, from Faisalabad, Pakistan,
became the youngest Microsoft Certified Professional at the age of nine in
2005.
Her hero: Karim pictured with Microsoft founder Bill Gates
(left) in 2006. Funeral prayers were offered on Sunday in Lahore before her
body was taken to her native village Ram Dewali, Faisalabad for burial. Scores
of people, including Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, ministers, politicians,
friends and Karim's fellow students gathered to support the grieving family
during the procession.
According to local reports, Karim went into a coma on December
22 after suffering an epileptic attack and cardiac arrest. She was admitted to
treatment at Combined Military Hospital in Lahore and was on life support at
the Intensive Care Unit when she suffered a tracheotomy complication on
Saturday evening that resulted in bleeding in her throat.
Despite earlier reports her progress had improved, doctors were
unable to save her. Karim rose to international fame when she became the
youngest Microsoft Certified Professional - a title awarded to those who master
Microsoft programs - at the age of nine in 2005.
A promising future: After earning the CCP title, Karim was
subsequently invited to visit Microsoft's headquarters in Redmond, Washington.
Dream come true: Karim and Microsoft founder Bill Gates enjoyed
a brief meeting during her visit to the U.S. in 2006. The company website notes
adults often use the certification to further their careers in the tech field.
After earning the certification, Karim was subsequently invited to visit
Microsoft's headquarters in Redmond, Washington by founder Bill Gates.
Karim, then ten, met with Gates and other Microsoft executives
during the visit, undoubtedly impressing them with her knowledge of programming
at such a young age. According to Geo.TV, after Karim's hospitalization, Gates
in January reached out to the family and offered to pay for her medical care.
It was reported he also proposed moving Karim to the U.S. for better treatment,
although doctors decided it was against her best interest given Karim was
on a ventilator.
In her honour: Crowds gather in the streets as Arfa Karim
Randhawa's body was taken to her native village Ram Dewali, Faisalabad for
burial.
Memorial: Youths light candles to pay homage to Arfa Karim
during a ceremony in her memory held in Peshawar. As nation.com.pl reports, her
father, Amjad Karim, thanked the Microsoft founder for his efforts, and said
that his daughter was a spark that 'got attention and love from everyone on the
globe.' The young girl indeed made her country proud, representing Pakistan
around the world with her incredible aptitude and skill.
Karim received the Fatimah Jinnah Gold Medal in the field of
Science and Technology, presented by the Prime Minister of Pakistan in 2005,
and was also the recipient of the President’s Award for Pride of Performance.
In November 2006, she was invited by Microsoft to be a part of the keynote
session in the Tech-Ed Developers conference in Barcelona. She was the only
Pakistani among over 5,000 developers in that conference, themed 'Get ahead of
the game'.
A permanent monument is also to be erected in her honour. The IT
Media City in Karachi will be renamed after the computer prodigy, and will now
be known as Arfa Karim IT Media City, Karachi, according to local media
reports.
As of 2011, at the age of 16, Arfa Karim was studying at
Lahore Grammar School Paragon Campus in her second year of A Levels. She
suffered from cardiac arrest after an epileptic seizure on December 22, 2011
and was admitted to Lahore's Combined Military Hospital (CMH) in critical
condition.
On January 2, 2012 Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza
Gilani visited the hospital with his daughter Fiza Batol Gilani to inquire
about the health of Arfa Karim Randhawa.
On January 9, 2012, Bill Gates, Chairman of Microsoft,
has made contact with Arfa's parents, and directed his doctors to adopt
"every kind of measure" for her treatment. On January 13, 2012, the
condition of world's youngest MCP Arfa Karim improved and some parts of her
brain showed signs of improvement. Arfa fell desperately ill last month and
doctors said she had suffered brain damage, leaving her in a coma at the
Combined Military Hospital (CMH) in Lahore. Her father, Amjad Karim Randhawa,
said Microsoft had raised the possibility of flying Arfa to the US for care.
On January 14, 2012 Arfa Karim Passed away at 9:50 PM
(Pakistan Standard Time) at Combined Military Hospital (CMH) Lahore. She had
remained in intensive care unit at Combined Military Hospital (CMH) after
suffering an epileptic seizure and cardiac arrest a few weeks ago.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SSNtwarQd7U
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0IMafFGab0U
Rest in peace Arfa! We will be proud of you always.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SSNtwarQd7U
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0IMafFGab0U
Rest in peace Arfa! We will be proud of you always.
"Technology has lost its finest Musketeers ever."
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