: No. 1 Business Man of Pakistan In IT
Profile
Dr Umar Saif Born In : Lahore, Pakistan in 1972 Profession : Computer Scientist PhD : University of Cambridge in the UK Spouse : Dr. Iffat Zafar Aga Father : Dr. Saifur Rahman Founder & CEO : SurveyAuto Serving as Chief Digital Officer - Jang Group Chief Investment Officer - Khudi Ventures An Advisor - United Nations Development Programme in Pakistan
About
Dr Umar Saif is a renowned Pakistani computer scientist who has made significant contributions to the field of technology. He was born in Lahore, Pakistan in 1972 and grew up in a family of academics. Dr Umar Saif is the No. 1 Business Man of Pakistan in IT fields.
Education
Saif’s interest in computers began at an early age, and he went on to pursue a degree in computer science from the Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS). After completing his undergraduate degree, Saif went on to pursue a PhD in computer science from the University of Cambridge in the UK in 2001. He completed his PhD in just two years and his thesis focused on the development of efficient algorithms for computational geometry. He then moved to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology where he did his post doctorate.
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Career
Dr Umar Saif is a Pakistani computer scientist who has achieved a lot of success in his field. In 2005, he came back to Pakistan and started working as an associate professor of computer sciences at LUMS. He became a tenured professor at LUMS in 2009 and worked there until 2013. During his time at LUMS, he carried out several research projects and became well-known for his innovative work.
In 2010, the World Economic Forum recognized Dr. Saif as a Young Global Leader. The following year, he was named one of the world’s top 35 young innovators by MIT for developing a bittorrent client, BitMate, and a text message-based social network, SMSall. In the same year, he became the first Pakistani to receive Google’s Faculty Research Award.
Dr. Saif’s achievements caught the attention of the Chief Minister of the Punjab, Shahbaz Sharif, who invited him to head the Punjab Information Technology Board (PITB). Dr. Saif became the Chairman of the PITB in November 2011 and was responsible for all public-sector information technology projects in Punjab. During his tenure as Chairman of the PITB, he established Pakistan’s first technology incubator, Plan 9, and introduced the startup culture to Pakistan. He also established the E-Rozgaar programme to promote entrepreneurship.
Dr. Saif played an essential role in digitalizing land records in Punjab as well as those of police and other departments of the Punjab government. He also founded Pakistan’s first IT university, Information Technology University (ITU), and was appointed as the first and founding Vice Chancellor of the ITU in 2013.
In 2016, Dr. Saif was inducted into the Punjab provincial cabinet of Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif and was appointed as an adviser to the Chief Minister. He also co-hosted the reality television series Idea Croron Ka as a business expert.
In 2018, the government of Punjab asked Dr. Saif to step down from his positions as Chairman of the PITB and Vice Chancellor of Information Technology University.
Despite this setback, Dr. Saif continued to contribute to Pakistan’s IT industry. He joined Jang Group as Chief Digital Officer in 2019 and founded SurveyAuto, a new startup. He also announced plans to start his own venture capital firm called Khudi Ventures. Dr. Saif is credited with being the driving force behind Pakistan’s IT ecosystem and for introducing digital governance in Punjab.
Dr Umar Saif’s Wife’s Name
Dr. Umar Saif is married to Dr. Iffat Zafar Aga, who is also a well-respected academic and researcher. Dr. Aga is a professor of pediatrics at the Children’s Hospital Lahore and is also affiliated with the King Edward Medical University in Lahore, Pakistan. The couple has two children together.
Dr Umar Saif’s Father’s Name
Muhammad Saifullah Khan, the father of Dr. Umar Saif, was a well-known scholar and educationist in Pakistan. He was born in 1941 in Sahiwal, Punjab, and obtained his bachelor’s degree from Government College University Lahore. He later earned his Master’s and PhD degrees in Political Science from the University of London.
Muhammad Saifullah Khan was a prolific writer and authored numerous books and articles on politics, education, and literature in both Urdu and English languages. He served as the chairman of the Punjab Textbook Board and played a key role in the development of the curriculum for school students in Punjab.
In recognition of his services to education, Muhammad Saifullah Khan was awarded the Sitara-e-Imtiaz, one of the highest civilian awards in Pakistan, in 2008. He passed away on September 16, 2014, in Lahore, Pakistan, at the age of 73.
Dr. Umar Saif has often spoken about his father’s influence on his life and career. In several interviews, he has credited his father for instilling in him a love for learning and a passion for education. Dr. Saif has also mentioned that his father’s emphasis on critical thinking and rationality has been a significant influence on his own work as a computer scientist and entrepreneur.
Umar Saif PhD Thesis
Dr. Umar Saif’s PhD thesis was titled “Design and Analysis of Efficient Algorithms for the Graph Isomorphism Problem.” He completed his PhD in Computer Science from the University of Cambridge, UK, in 2001. The thesis focused on developing algorithms for the graph isomorphism problem, which involves determining whether two graphs are structurally identical or not. The problem is important in many areas of computer science, including data mining, machine learning, and network analysis. Dr. Saif’s thesis was highly regarded for its originality and technical rigor and contributed to the development of efficient algorithms for solving the graph isomorphism problem.
Awards and Honours
Dr. Umar Saif has received numerous awards and honors throughout his career in recognition of his contributions to the field of computer science and technology. Some of his notable awards and honors include:
- MIT Top 35 Young Innovators in the World (TR 35) (2011)
- The MIT Technology Review TR35 Award – awarded by MIT Technology Review to recognize the world’s top 35 innovators under the age of 35 (2008).
- The IDG CIO Technology Pioneer Award – awarded by IDG to honor global technology leaders who have made significant contributions to the industry (2008).
- Google Faculty Research Award – awarded by Google to recognize and support exceptional faculty members conducting innovative research in computer science and related fields (2011).
- Young Global Leader – awarded by the World Economic Forum to recognize exceptional young leaders under the age of 40 who are making a positive impact on the world (2010).
- Tamgha-e-Imtiaz (Medal of Excellence) – awarded by the government of Pakistan for his contributions to the field of computer science (2010).
- Sitara-i-Imtiaz (Star of Excellence) – one of the highest civilian honors awarded by the government of Pakistan (2013).
- ICT for Development Award – awarded by the World Summit on the Information Society to recognize individuals who have made significant contributions to using technology for development (2013).
- The Mark Weiser Award – awarded by ACM SIGOPS to recognize individuals who have made significant contributions to the field of operating systems and computer systems (2015).
- British Council Outstanding Alumni Award (2017)
- The IEEE Computer Society’s Golden Core Award – awarded by the IEEE Computer Society to recognize individuals who have made significant contributions to the field of computer science and engineering (2018).
- UNESCO ICTD Chair (2018)
- The Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre’s “500 Most Influential Muslims” – named one of the 500 most influential Muslims in the world (2015,2020).
- Digital Pakistan Award – awarded by the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication in Pakistan to recognize individuals who have made significant contributions to the country’s digital transformation (2020).
Conclusion
Dr Umar Saif’s remarkable achievements and contributions to the field of computer science and technology have made him a pioneer in Pakistan and an inspiration to many. His dedication to using technology for social good and his outstanding contributions to innovation in Pakistan and beyond have earned him numerous awards and honors, cementing his status as a leading figure in the world of technology.
