Arfa Abdul Karim Randhawa
(A Star Which Extinct Soon)
It was 2nd February, 1995 when Amjad Abdul Karim Randhawa was blessed with a daughter in a small village of Faisalabad, Chak No.4JB Ram Dewali. No one known that this little angle will be going to become a proud for Pakistan.
Arfa Karim Randhawa was a Pakistani student and youngest computer professional. In 2004 when She was only 9 years old, the age when girls used to play with dolls she became Youngest Certified Professional (MCP). At that time she became the icon of Pakistan. She was invited by Bill Gates to visit Microsoft Headquarters in the United States.
Arfa Karim as a Star:
When she came back to Pakistan after visiting Microsoft headquarters .she gave a number of interviews. She was invited by several international conferences and received different awards at national and international level. Arfa Karim represented Pakistan at international platforms. She became a Child prodigy.
Awards and Achievements:
Arfa Karim’s biggest achievement was the invitation of Bill Gates, who gave her an invitation to visit Microsoft Headquarters. She was awarded by Pride of Performance award from Government of Pakistan. The Prime Minister of that time Shaukat Aziz also awarded her Fatimah Jinnah Gold Medal in the field of Science and Technology. In August 2005 she had achieved Salam Pakistan Youth Award. She was made brand ambassador for Pakistan Telecommunication Company’s 3G Wireless Broadband service, named EVO in January 2010.
“Death is not the greatest loss in life. The greatest loss is what dies inside us while we live”. (Arfa Karim).
In 2011, when she was 16, she was studying in A-Levels at the Lahore Grammar School. She was a lively girl with big dreams. She wished to establish a Silicon Valley in Pakistan where she wanted to provide computer education free of cost. But life did not faithful with her.
It was the day of 22nd December 2011 when she suffered from epileptic seizure that damaged her brain. It was not only epileptic attack but she also suffered from cardiac attack after epileptic attack. She was shifted to CMH Lahore in emergency. Whole country and Microsoft professionals were praying for her. Everything will made possible for her complete recovery even Bill Gates had offered air ambulance and complete treatment for her and even arranged a panel of specialized doctors where he discussed about the condition of Arfa. But it was not possible that Arfa Karim was shifted from one hospital to another because she was on ventilator at that time and it was risky to move her in this critical condition.
On 13th January 2012 doctors seen a ray of hope because Arfa Karim was improving and her brain showed response. But it was peace was actually alarming the greatest loss.
The day of 14 January 2012 come with the bad news about Arfa’s death. This was the greatest loss of Pakistan and Microsoft. She had a potential and only in a short life of 16 years she left this temporary world but made a place in millions of hearts where she will live forever.
On the following days her funeral was held and attended by Chief Minister of Pakistan and several well known personalities. She was buried in her ancestral village in Faisalabad.
After her death Lahore Technology Park was renamed as Arfa Software Technology Park. She has her name in Guinness Book of World Records. She left this world but opened ways for youth of Pakistan.
“People say I am genius. I might be one but I am not the only one. There are many other Pakistani girls and boys like me. All those gems need, is a little bit of polishing. And I will do it. That’s my aim. (Arfa Karim Randhawa).