Youngest Microsoft professional dies

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, Jan. 16 (UPI) -- A child computer prodigy who was the world's youngest Microsoft Certified Professional has died at the age of 16 in Pakistan, doctors said.

Arfa Karim Randhawa died Saturday of a heart attack brought on by a severe epileptic seizure.

She had been in a coma for weeks and failed to recover, Turkey's Hurriyet Daily News reported.

Randhawa had received her certificate from Microsoft when she was 9 years old, making her a legend in tech circles.

She had met with Microsoft founder Bill Gates, who had offered to pay for treatment of her condition in the United States before she suffered her heart attack.

Microsoft Certification is a reward system that allows recipients to certify their skills among a global network of professionals.