MUSCAT — Tariq Hilal Al Barwani, Oman’s top IT expert has been awarded the Microsoft Most Valuable Professional (MVP) honour. It’s for the first time in Oman’s IT history, an Omani is receiving this award.

The Microsoft MVP award recognises outstanding individuals both for their demonstrated practical expertise and for their willingness to share their experience with others.

The MVP award was established by Microsoft 12 years ago, as a way of recognising individuals for their outstanding contributions in a wide range of community activities.

Microsoft has invited Tariq to attend the 2007 MVP Global Summit, scheduled for March 12-15 in Seattle at the Washington State Convention and Trade Centre, at Microsoft Corporation Headquarters in Redmond, Washington.

Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates will kick-off the event with a keynote address. “I never realised that my IT skills, passion and willingness to help others would yield me an international recognition from the software giant like Microsoft. I must admit that I have achieved my childhood dream to put Oman into the world’s IT map. I take pride in it,” Tariq Al Barwani, working as the online manager for Nawras, said.

Individuals are nominated to be considered for MVPs by their peers or Microsoft based on activities in the offline or online technical communities.

The MVP programme and annual award is based solely on an individual’s contributions from the previous year and those contributions are then compared amongst the other candidates for any given nomination cycle to determine who will be awarded.

Rich Kaplan, Microsoft’s vice-president said: “Microsoft MVPs represent the most active community members from around the world who provide invaluable online and offline expertise and are an inspiration to all of us. They are technology’s best and brightest, and we are honoured to welcome Tariq as one of them.“

Tariq maintains his personal website at www.tariq.net which, he uses to respond to people’s IT matters.