Fatima Sheikh

*Today, January 9, is the birthday of Fatimabi Sheikh, the first Muslim teacher in India! She was born on January 9, 1831.*

*When the first girls' school was started by Krantisurya Jyotiba Phule in Budhwar Peth, Pune on January 1, 1848, there was a teacher named Fatima Sheikh along with Savitribai. When Jyotiba and Savitribai Phule were expelled from the house by Govindrao Phule, they were sheltered by siblings Usman Shaikh and Fatima Shaikh. In a sense, Fatima and Usman Sheikh played a major role in the educational and social work of Jotiba and Savitribai. Jyotiba Phule started the first girls' school at Usman Sheikh's house. Fatima Sheikh was highly educated and had a passion for women's education. Fatima Sheikh's native place Pune! She went to the door and tried to convince them of the importance of education.*

*Fatima Sheikh taught girls from poor Muslim and backward classes. Her work was strongly opposed by the aristocracy and the upper castes of the traditionalist Muslim community and other communities, but she did important work for women's education along with Savitribai, despite the opposition.*

*The time when Fatima Sheikh was doing this work was in the nineteenth century! At that time there was a perception that backward classes, downtrodden, minorities etc. did not have the right to education. As Fatima Sheikh herself was highly educated, she knew the importance of education in time. He knew that the solution to the problems facing the Muslim community was not possible without education. And he worked hard for the education of girls in the Muslim community. Savitribai's letter to Mahatma Phule dated October 10, 1856 states, "Fatima may be in trouble, but she will not murmur."*

*Mahatma Phule founded Satyashodhak Samaj on 24th September 1873 and Fatima Shaikh played a pivotal role in that cause. She opened a library at his residence. Congratulations to such a great education expert and social reformer Fatima Sheikh on her 191st birthday ...! Although her work has not received much attention in history, today Google has dedicated its doodle to her great work. This is the real Receipt of Reach of their work ...!*