The forgotten story of Fatima Sheikh, Savitribai Phule’s friend who helped set up India’s first girls’ school in Pune

“I will come to Pune as soon as I am fully recovered. Don’t worry. Fatima could be struggling (working alone) but she will not complain,” Savitribai said in her letter dated October 10, 1856, found in Dr MG Mali’s compilation of her writings.

This is one of the few direct references in written records to Fatima (January 9, 1831-October 9, 1900), Savitribai’s long-term colleague and collaborator whose birth anniversary is celebrated on January 9. While there has been some debate on Fatima’s story, her memory has stayed alive among niche circles of historians and social movement workers.

In fact, Urdu textbooks prepared by Maharashtra textbook bureau Balbharati included a small section on Fatima, along with those on Zakir Hussain and Syed Ahmed Khan. In Andhra Pradesh, a chapter on her life was introduced in Class 8 school textbooks.

In 2022, Google Doodle commemorated her birth anniversary stating, “Fatima Sheikh was born on this day in 1831 in Pune, India. She lived with her brother Usman, and the siblings opened their home to the Phules after the couple was evicted for attempting to educate people in ‘lower’ castes. The Indigenous Library (Bhide Wada girls school) opened under the Sheikhs’ roof.”

Biographer Reeta Ramamoorthy Gupta, who published a book on the life and work of Savitribai Phule, did extensive research on Fatima as well. “Fatima was Savitri’s adjutant and took over as headmistress of the school when Savitri was unwell or had to go canvassing for more girls to attend school,” Gupta said.

It is known that both women enrolled together at the teacher training institute of an American missionary, Cynthia Farrar. Apart from this, an old photo negative of both women sitting side by side with two female students near their feet was also published by the Maharashtra government.

The relationship between the Phules and Sheikhs went much beyond their work and seamlessly brought lifelong friendship and camaraderie together. Gupta said, “Savitri and Fatima met at Mrs Mitchell’s school in Poona where they both took English lessons. Jyotirao Phule and Usman Sheikh went to school together and they both had the same mentor in Pune, Munshi Gafar Baig, an Urdu and Persian scholar.”

However, Fatima’s story, unlike that of Savitribai, is not as well-known, mainly because she either did not write or her writings did not survive.

According to Gupta, Fatima came with her brother to Malegaon from what is today Uttar Pradesh. Talking about Fatima’s origins, Gupta said, “Due to the Agra famine of 1837-38, her family migrated to Malegaon. They were handloom textile merchants belonging to the ‘lower’ caste Julaha community. Her parents died early and her brother became her guardian. Later, when they migrated again to Poona, Munshi Gafar Baig, an Urdu and Persian scholar stood as a father figure to them.”

While popular history has not yet carved out a space for her, Fatima has been commemorated in several corners. Shamsuddin Tamboli, president of the Muslim Satyashodhak Samaj and a scholar who has written about Fatima, said, “For several years now, we have been felicitating notable women achievers with an award named after Fatima Sheikh to honour her legacy. We recently held a quiz competition for children themed on Savitribai Phule and Fatima Sheikh. She has been an inspiration for young women and girls who aspire for education.”