Arfa Karim Randhawa, Computer Programming Prodigy, Dies at 16

Computer prodigy Arfa Karim Randhawa, who was the World’s youngest Microsoft certified professional, died at the age of 16 in a hospital in Lahore, Pakistan. Randhawa was brought to the hospital a few weeks ago after she suffered epileptic seizures.

Senior neurosurgeon Zafar Iqbal said:

“Arfa was hospitalised in a critical condition with meagre chances of survival because of a severe attack of idiopathic epilepsy fits. There were almost no signs of life as neither her heart was functioning nor blood was circulating to the brain.”

The Times of India reports that Bill Gates invited Randhawa to visit the company in 2004. Gates offered to bear the expense of her treatment in America but because of the teen’s fragile condition she could not travel abroad.

Randhawa became the youngest Microsoft certified professional at the age of 9. The Tribune reports that Arfa Randhawa was also the youngest recipient of the Presidential Award for Pride of Performance. Randhawa was also awarded the Fatima Jinnah Gold Medal in Science and Technology.

Randhawa lived a short but important life that was made possible by a simple philosophy she developed at the age of 10. Randhawa told the Digital Life:

“If you want to do something big in your life, you must remember that shyness is only the mind. If you think shy, you act shy. If you think confident you act confident. Therefore never let shyness conquer your mind.”