PinkyGul heroines are desi women of exceptional talent and virtues, who have blazed a path for other brown women. Our heroine today is even more astounding due to the short time in which she achieved these impressive heights. Today, we celebrate Arfa Karim Randhawa; Pakistan’s smallest and brightest crown jewel.
Arfa was born in 1995 in a small village neighboring Faisalabad and took the nation by storm by procuring the title of the world’s youngest Microsoft certified professional in 2004. Arfa achieved this milestone when she was only 9 years old, during a time when mastery over technology was a rarity among her age group. Although the tech-community in Pakistan was slow to recognize the relevance of this achievement, Bill Gates himself acknowledged her achievement by inviting her to the Microsoft Headquarters. Here she talked about how girls in Pakistan have a remarkable passion for technology and few opportunities to expand upon them, especially in the rural areas. She also handed Bill Gates a paper on which she penned a poem for him and received an autograph from him in return.
In 2005, Arfa was awarded the Fatima Jinnah gold medal as well as the President’s national “Pride of Performance” award, which is bestowed upon people when they reach the zenith of their excellency in their respective fields – and yes, she was the youngest recipient of that too. In 2006, Arfa was yet again honored by the international tech world when she was invited to be the keynote speaker at the Microsoft Tech-Ed Conference with around 500 other developers. However, Arfa’s brilliant trajectory to success was short-lived as on December 22, 2011, she suffered a cardiac arrest which soon claimed her life.
Arfa was a remarkable young woman, who had achieved great heights in the technology field against great odds. Her vision opened the gates of success for many girls around the country, as she left behind a legacy which paved the path for young girls across the country to pursue. She broke stereotypes that undermined the capabilities of girls across the country., inspiring young Pakistani girls to dream and aim higher, especially those interested in STEM fields which are dominated largely by men.
After her demise, the nation rallied behind her cause and tributes have followed, including Arfa Software Technology Park located in Lahore with an aim to keep her vision alive. Arfa taught us, even the youngest among us can pave a path for women for generations to come.
PinkyGul heroines are desi women of exceptional talent and virtues, who have blazed a path for other brown women. Our heroine today is even more astounding due to the short time in which she achieved these impressive heights. Today, we celebrate Arfa Karim Randhawa; Pakistan’s smallest and brightest crown jewel.
Arfa was born in 1995 in a small village neighboring Faisalabad and took the nation by storm by procuring the title of the world’s youngest Microsoft certified professional in 2004. Arfa achieved this milestone when she was only 9 years old, during a time when mastery over technology was a rarity among her age group. Although the tech-community in Pakistan was slow to recognize the relevance of this achievement, Bill Gates himself acknowledged her achievement by inviting her to the Microsoft Headquarters. Here she talked about how girls in Pakistan have a remarkable passion for technology and few opportunities to expand upon them, especially in the rural areas. She also handed Bill Gates a paper on which she penned a poem for him and received an autograph from him in return.
In 2005, Arfa was awarded the Fatima Jinnah gold medal as well as the President’s national “Pride of Performance” award, which is bestowed upon people when they reach the zenith of their excellency in their respective fields – and yes, she was the youngest recipient of that too. In 2006, Arfa was yet again honored by the international tech world when she was invited to be the keynote speaker at the Microsoft Tech-Ed Conference with around 500 other developers. However, Arfa’s brilliant trajectory to success was short-lived as on December 22, 2011, she suffered a cardiac arrest which soon claimed her life.
Arfa was a remarkable young woman, who had achieved great heights in the technology field against great odds. Her vision opened the gates of success for many girls around the country, as she left behind a legacy which paved the path for young girls across the country to pursue. She broke stereotypes that undermined the capabilities of girls across the country., inspiring young Pakistani girls to dream and aim higher, especially those interested in STEM fields which are dominated largely by men.
After her demise, the nation rallied behind her cause and tributes have followed, including Arfa Software Technology Park located in Lahore with an aim to keep her vision alive. Arfa taught us, even the youngest among us can pave a path for women for generations to come.
