Bilal Musharraf

Pakistani education technology executive

Compiled from 1 recorded interview. Every statement below is drawn from the passage cited beside it.

Bilal Musharraf was part of the founding team of Khan Academy. After beginning his career in the actuarial profession, he transitioned into education technology after graduate school and into venture capital after his MBA.

Education

In 2004, Musharraf applied to graduate school, and he secured admission to business school, starting in 2005. He attended Stanford University, where he studied business and education and declared a joint degree in education. During his first semester at Stanford, he took an elective course on the history of higher education, where he was taught that the period from 1945 to 1955 was the golden decade of American higher education. As part of his joint degree program, he also took a course titled Comparing Institutional Forms. In addition, he completed a two-month course on the circular economy. [1]

Career

After graduating from Urbana-Champaign, Musharraf moved to Boston, Massachusetts, where his first job was in the automobile insurance industry. He worked in the country on a student visa for one year before transitioning to an H-1B visa, spending five years in the insurance industry. In 2000, he transitioned into actuarial consulting at the firm Watson White Worldwide. [1]

Views and personal life

Musharraf was married while living and working abroad. He lived outside Pakistan for 28 years, has lived in six countries, and has visited 57 countries across every continent except Australia and New Zealand. He relocated to Dubai for personal reasons and was 50 years old at the time of the interview, having travelled to London for a second booster vaccination two months prior. [1]

Musharraf identifies as a rationalist. He has visited schools in Finland and considers the Netherlands to be a role model as a state. He holds the view that the modern education system across the world has become bankrupt, asserting that the system makes people disempowered and conformist. He also believes the era of permanent jobs is over. On public policy, Musharraf believes that thriving countries prioritize developing dynamic and inclusive metropolises, advocates for state legislation to protect private endowments and individual philanthropic legacies, strongly supports the center for philanthropy, and believes society benefits from the perspective of non-profit organizations such as the ED foundation, A Khan foundation, and Akhuwat. [1]

Timeline

1989
Musharraf lived in America after 1989.[1]
2000
Musharraf transitioned into actuarial consulting at Watson White Worldwide.[1]
2004
Musharraf applied to graduate school.[1]

Appearances

DateTitleWhere
2022-12-23 Why Bilal Musharraf stayed in America washing his own clothes Thought Behind Things

Frequently asked questions

Who is Bilal Musharraf?

Bilal Musharraf joined the founding team of Khan Academy. He has also worked for several years at Edmodo and at Noon.[1]

How old is Bilal Musharraf?

Bilal Musharraf was 50 years old at the time his interview was recorded.[1]

Where is Bilal Musharraf now?

Bilal Musharraf moved to Dubai for personal reasons after living outside Pakistan for 28 years.[1]

References

  1. Why Bilal Musharraf stayed in America washing his own clothes . Thought Behind Things , 2022-12-23.
Show the source passages (69 statements)
  1. He began his career in the actuarial profession. हां, शुरू मैंने actuarial profession में की
  2. He transitioned into education technology after graduate school. फिर graduate school के बाद मैं education technology में आ गया.
  3. He was part of the founding team of Khan Academy. Khan Academy was my first forte. Was part of the founding team
  4. He was born in a city. I was born in the Twin City. मैं राहुल पिंडी की मेरी पैदाइश है.
  5. He completed his intermediate education at credit college हासुनम्दाल. Then intermediate मैंने credit college हासुनम्दाल से किया था.
  6. He attended the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign for his bachelor's degree. For my bachelor's, I went to University of Illinois, Urbana Champaign.
  7. His father held the rank of brigadier at the time he finished intermediate. उस साल मेरे father, was a brigadier at that time.
  8. His father was sent to London for a one-year RCDS course. So he was sent for a one year course एक होता है RCDS का London में.
  9. He secured admission to UET. So I was I got admission in UET.
  10. His paternal uncle lived in America. मेरे चचा रहते थे America में
  11. He lived in America after 1989. '89 के बाद मैं America में था.
  12. He lived at a boarding school away from home before moving to a country. And before that in boarding school, I was away from home.
  13. He initially lived at his maternal aunt's house after moving to a country. initially तो मैं अपनी खाला के घर रहा, you know, again cost was a factor, you know, managing, keeping costs down
  14. He initially attended the University of Miami. मैंने actually मैं शुरू में एक और university गया था, University of Miami गया था, जो मेरी खाला के घर के बिल्कुल साथ थी.
  15. He received an academic scholarship to attend the University of Miami. University of Miami गया था, जो मेरी खाला के घर के बिल्कुल साथ थी. तो उन्होंने academic scholarship भी दी थी.
  16. He applied to transfer universities during his sophomore year. तो फिर मैंने अपने sophomore year, second year में transfer करी, apply करी और फिर मैं Urbana champagne आ गया.
  17. He transferred to a university. apply करी और फिर मैं Urbana champagne आ गया.
  18. His paternal grandfather worked in the foreign office in a clerical position. my grandfather was with in the foreign office but not any high level. He was like a I would say clerkish job.
  19. His paternal grandmother worked for Pakistan Customs. मेरी grandmother जो थी उन्होंने Pakistan customs में job किया.
  20. His paternal grandfather was posted to Ankara, Turkey in the 1950s. कुछ सालों बाद nineteen fifties में मेरे grandfather की posting होगी अंकारा Turkey
  21. His father was a newly minted brigadier in the army when he moved to a country. वह तो मैं जब मैं America गया हूं तो my father was a newly minted brigadier in the army, right?
  22. His first job after graduating was in the automobile insurance industry in Boston, Massachusetts. Yeah, so I got a job in the in the automobile insurance industry. Right. Makes sense. Yeah, in Boston, Massachusetts.
  23. He moved to Boston after graduating from Urbana-Champaign. मैं Urbana Champaign से graduate किया और फिर मैं उधर move कर गया. और Boston move कर गया.
  24. He worked in a country on a student visa for one year before transitioning to an H-1B visa. और जो normal कार्रवाई होती है एक साल student visa पर, फिर उसके बाद H1B पर दो साल की sponsorship काम की
  25. He was married while living and working in a country. हम दोनों ने अच्छी बात यह थी कि शादी हो चुकी थी. दोनों हम middle बैठकर फ़ैसला कर सकते थे कि यह ज़िंदगी कैसे गुज़ारनी है.
  26. He worked for five years in the insurance industry. मैंने फिर पांच साल उधर काम किया, फिर मैंने job change किया और मैं consulting में आ गया.
  27. He transitioned into actuarial consulting in 2000. मैंने फिर पांच साल उधर काम किया, फिर मैंने job change किया और मैं consulting में आ गया. अच्छा. कौन से year में? This was 2000.
  28. He worked in actuarial consulting at a firm named Watson White Worldwide. No, this was actuarial consulting. Right. It was a company, उज़माने में उसका नाम था Watson White Worldwide और उसका ticker symbol था w w w.
  29. He applied to graduate school in 2004 and started in 2005. And I in 2004 I applied. In 2005 I went to graduate school.
  30. He went to Stanford University, where he studied business and education. I did a business degree and I ended up doing an education degree. From? I went to Stanford.
  31. He took an elective course on the history of higher education during his first semester at Stanford. तो मैंने एक एक course लिया पहले semester में ही. As an elective I took it, the history of US higher education.
  32. He declared a joint degree in education at Stanford. तो and the joint degree options were in education, they were in law and they were in public policy. तो मैंने फिर declare कर दिया.
  33. He took a course titled Comparing Institutional Forms as part of his joint degree program. Which was basically the the the title of the course was comparing institutional forms.
  34. He believes that thriving countries prioritize developing dynamic and inclusive metropolises. Actually, the the countries that are really thriving have prioritized their metropolises to become very dynamic, zones, geographic zones in which which are inclusive.
  35. He was taught that the period from 1945 to 1955 was the golden decade of American higher education. और यह मैंने हमें पढ़ाया गया. The golden decade of American higher education is nineteen forty five to nineteen fifty five.
  36. His father attended FC College in Lahore. my father went to FC College Lahore
  37. He attended a public school in Bahawalpur. I went to सादिक public school बहावलपुर अब.
  38. He believes the state should pass legislation to protect private endowments and individual philanthropic legacies. The parliament passes a law and say कि अगर आपने दे दिए हैं और यह आपका है and it's just like it can't be. It will be, you know, it is your legacy and your legacy is protected by the state.
  39. He believes society would benefit from looking through the vantage point of credible non-profit organizations such as the ED foundation, A Khan foundation, and Akhuwat. So I think it would, it would benefit us to see the vantage point of certain credible non profits like I'll just without any, Ice like you know, ED foundation, A Khan foundation, अखूवत इनके इनकी lens से हमें देखे ना कि हमारा मौशा दरअसल है कैसा?
  40. He lived outside Pakistan for 28 years. अब मैंने इतने अट्ठाईस साल बाहर गुज़ारे हैं Pakistan से.
  41. He is a strong supporter and advocate of the center for philanthropy. I am a huge huge fan, advocate of PCP,
  42. He considers the Netherlands to be a role model as a state. I mean there is no dimension that The Netherlands does not rock. So anyways, I'll that it's a role model.
  43. He holds a bachelor's degree. मैंने तो bachelor's degree की हुई है
  44. He attended business school. खान academy was something I had used while in business school for financial statements.
  45. He went into venture capital after his MBA. foreign MBA के बाद तो मैं venture capital में गया जिसकी मेरी नियत भी थी.
  46. He switched to working for a for-profit private education company. तो I was able to switch over to private education company but it was a for profit education company.
  47. He translated videos into Urdu on evenings and weekends. तो मैं शाम को या weekends पर बैठकर I would just watch his video and हफ्ते में तीन चार तो मैं निकाल लेता था. उनके ऊपर मैं उर्दू में बना लेता था.
  48. He joined the founding team of Khan Academy. I I got pulled in to the founding team of Khan Academy.
  49. He worked for several years at Edmodo, a venture-backed startup. उसके बाद फिर मैं एक और company के लिए मैंने काम किया which was a startup, which was a for profit startup. It was called Edmodo, venture backed and I stayed with them for a number of years.
  50. He worked for Noon, a mobile tutoring platform. Then the third company was Noon, which was a mobile tutoring platform, live tutoring.
  51. He previously worked for Noon Academy. Noon academy job? Yeah. Yeah, noon academy था.
  52. He was 50 years old at the time of the recording. I'm at this stage of my life. I'm 50.
  53. He moved to Dubai for personal reasons. तो also for, so personal reasons, you know, I moved to Dubai.
  54. He initiated a project to recreate 5,000 Khan Academy videos covering STEM, science, finance, and economics in Urdu. एक project जो शुरू किया था, ढाई साल पहले, जो कि था कि खान academy का critically acclaimed content, तो उसका जो STEM content, sciences का content और जो finance और economics का content है, पांच हज़ार videos हैं. उसको उनको recreate करना उर्दू में.
  55. 3,100 videos had been recreated in Urdu under his project by the time of the interview. तो उनमें से तीन हज़ार एक सौ हो चुके हैं और अगले साल के आखिर तक सारा हो चुका होगा.
  56. He believes that the modern education system across the world has become bankrupt. जो हमें तालीमी नज़ाम मिला हुआ है और हम सिमराह खाली Pakistan या पूरी दुनिया को इस पर तफाके रहे कि वह bankrupt हो चुका है.
  57. He has visited schools in Finland. You know, I've been to Finland, I've been to their schools, you know, they've made that bet.
  58. He travelled to London to receive a second booster vaccination two months prior to the interview. दो महीने पहले की बात है कि मैं London में था तो second booster मैंने लगवाना था.
  59. He holds the view that the era of permanent jobs is over. पक्की नौकरियों का ज़माना ही ख़त्म हो चुका है.
  60. He completed a two-month course on the circular economy. मैंने दो महीने का भी course लिया है. [Muzamil] किस चीज़ का था वह? [Guest] Circular economy.
  61. He has visited every continent except Australia and New Zealand. मैंने, हर continent देखा हुआ है, barring Australia and New Zealand.
  62. He has visited 57 countries. I have traveled been to 57 countries.
  63. He has lived in six countries. I have lived in six.
  64. He believes that the system makes people disempowered and conformist. I do feel like the system is making people disempowered and conformist.
  65. He was very close to his grandmother. मैं मैं मैं अपनी दादी के बहुत तरीक था.
  66. He secured admission to business school. business school से बिल्कुल पहले वह बहुत अच्छे से मुझसे कह रही थी उनका जो बचपना था वह Delhi में गुज़रा था. तो so उन्होंने एक दो दफा मुझसे कहा कि मैं मरने से पहले जाना चाहती हूं. तो ख़ैर जब मुझे मेरा दाखला हो गया तो मैंने उनको कहा कि चलें.
  67. He travelled to Delhi with his grandmother. तो मैं आया Pakistan visa लगवाया, दादी कभी visa लगवाया, हम जहाज पर चढ़े. वह उठाकर हम Delhi पहुंच गए.
  68. His father was in power in a country at the time of his visit to a city. because my father was in power at that time, would use that opportunity as a confidence building measure for the two countries, you know?
  69. He identifies as a rationalist. like I am, I am a rationalist.