She played a vital role in women’s education alongside Jyotiba and Savitribai Phule, yet remains largely overlooked by the masses
NEW DELHI — India’s modern history of women’s education owes much to pioneers who challenged societal norms, yet one figure remains largely forgotten; Fatima Sheikh, widely regarded as the first Muslim woman teacher in India. Her life and work, intertwined with the efforts of Jyotiba and Savitribai Phule, ignited the flame of women’s education, particularly among Dalit, Bahujan, and Muslim communities.
In the last ten days alone, social media has seen a resurgence of interest in historical women reformers. Savitribai Phule’s birth anniversary on January 3 and Fatima Sheikh’s birthday on January 9 brought attention to their legacies. While Savitribai is increasingly recognised as a founder of the Dalit-Bahujan women’s education movement, Fatima Sheikh’s immense contributions remain underappreciated.
Fatima Sheikh was born into a respectable Muslim family that had migrated from Uttar Pradesh to Malegaon, Maharashtra. Her family engaged in the handloom cloth trade but relocated to Pune due to drought and economic challenges. Tragically, her parents passed away when she was only nine. Fatima was subsequently raised by her elder brother Usman Sheikh, with the support of their neighbour Munshi Ghaffar Beg, a friend of her father and an influential figure in the early life of Jyotiba Phule.
Historian Dhananjay Keer notes that Beg played a pivotal role in shaping Jyotiba Phule’s future, persuading Phule’s father to allow his son to receive modern education. Keer writes, “It was Beg who recognised Phule’s talent early and guided him to pursue education despite caste-based opposition.”
At a time when girls’ education was almost unheard of, especially for Muslims outside traditional religious instruction, Fatima Sheikh became the first student in the school opened in her home by the Phule couple in 1848. Her knowledge of Arabic and Urdu, combined with a thirst for modern education in Marathi and English, made her a natural participant and supporter of the educational mission.
Fatima Sheikh’s contribution went beyond being a student. As Somnath Deshkar writes, “Fatima quickly learned Marathi and numerous subjects, then actively went door to door, persuading Shudra, Bahujan, and Muslim families to send their daughters to school.”
At the time, no non-Brahmin woman teacher was available to educate girls in Pune. Amidst opposition and resource constraints, Fatima volunteered as the third teacher. Jyotiba Phule personally trained both Fatima and Savitribai before sending them to Madame Cynthia Farrar’s Missionary School in Ahmednagar for formal teacher training, a step that solidified their teaching expertise.
Fatima Sheikh’s efforts extended beyond the classroom. She assisted the Phule couple in opening five additional schools in Pune by 1849 and a night school for labourers in 1854. She played a critical role in Bal Hatya Pratibandhak Griha (Infanticide Prevention Home), helping young widows through practical nursing and education initiatives alongside Savitribai Phule.
Historian Hari Narke remarks, “Fatima Sheikh’s work in education and social reform was remarkable. She not only taught girls but also managed schools and supervised social welfare initiatives, showing dedication equal to the Phule couple.”
Fatima Sheikh faced opposition from upper-caste Hindus and conservative Muslims alike. Her travels to Ahmednagar for teacher training were met with resistance from local clerics and community elders. Yet, she persevered, ensuring that by 1856, 15 schools in Pune and 15 outside the city offered modern education to boys and girls of Shudra, Bahujan, Christian, and Muslim backgrounds.
Savitribai Phule herself acknowledged Fatima’s contribution in a letter dated 10 October 1856, praising her methods, behaviour, and leadership in school administration. Dr. Shamshuddin Tamboli notes that Fatima later married and lived in a distant area, with her marriage arranged ideally without dowry by the Phule couple.
Despite her extraordinary contributions, Fatima Sheikh remains largely absent from historical records. Historian Syed Naseer Ahmed says, “Shudra and Bahujan society remembered their heroes after almost 150 years, yet Muslims did not similarly preserve the memory of Fatima Sheikh. It is a moment for self-reflection.”
Indeed, apart from Savitribai’s letter, no writings or compositions by Fatima exist. Even her brother Usman Sheikh and mentor Munshi Ghaffar Beg are scarcely mentioned in historical documents, leaving a large gap in the archival record.
Recognition of Fatima Sheikh has begun slowly. In 2013, the Maharashtra government included her in the Class 2 Urdu textbook Bal Bharati, and various social organisations, libraries, and scholars now celebrate her birth anniversary. Saqib Ahmed, a social worker in Kishanganj, Bihar, maintains libraries named after Jyotiba Phule, Savitribai Phule, and Fatima Sheikh. He says, “When I posted pictures of Fatima Sheikh’s birthday celebrations, some Dalit-Bahujan activists demanded proof that she was the first Muslim woman teacher. Yet the information is well documented in Dalit-Bahujan literature.”
Umar Ashraf, a Jamia Millia Islamia researcher, observes, “Dalit-Bahujans fear that acknowledging Fatima Sheikh may divide credit from the Phule couple.” However, Naseer Ahmed counters, “The very knowledge of Fatima Sheikh today is due to Dalit-Bahujan historians and writers. Muslims themselves need to value their own heroes.”
Fatima Sheikh’s efforts played a vital role in establishing modern education for girls from marginalised communities in India. Her work with the Phule couple ensured that education was not a privilege of the upper caste but a right for all, including Muslim girls. While much of her life remains shrouded in uncertainty, her legacy continues to inspire educators and social reformers.
