Fatima Sheikh's 191 birth anniversary: Google Doodle pays tribute to India’s feminist educator

Fatima Sheikh had worked alongside social reformers social reformers Jyotirao and Savitribai Phule. Image credit: Google doodle

Google on Sunday paid tribute to feminist educator Fatima Sheikh on her 191st birth anniversary with a doodle.

Sheikh, who is considered to be one of the first muslim woman teachers in India, had worked alongside social reformers Jyotirao and Savitribai Phule and had co-founded Indigenous Library in 1848, one of the country's first schools for girls.

Born on January 9, 1831, Sheikh and her brother Usman opened their Pune home to the Phules after the couple was evicted for trying to educate students from lower castes. The Indigenous Library was then opened under the Sheikhs’ roof.

Here, Sheikh and Savitribai Phule taught Dalit and Muslim women and children who were denied education elsewhere based on their class, religion, or gender.

Although she met with great resistance from those in the upper caste, Sheikh went door-to-door to invite the downtrodden in her community to study at the Indigenous Library. She also advocated against the rigidity of the caste system.

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Even though historically, Sheikh did not receive the same credit as her fellow social reformers, in 2014, the Centre featured her profile in Urdu textbooks alongside other iconic Indian educators.

More recently, on January 3, the AAP government in Delhi brought out an advertisement commemorating Sheikh.

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People also took to social media to pay tribute to the feminist icon.

Married at 10, Taught by her husband and his friends and then an American Missionary. Thrown out by her in-laws along with her husband for teaching girls. Lived and graduated with Fatima Sheikh and opened a girl's school with her, all this when still a teen. pic.twitter.com/DyccQsnQpz

— Joy Bhattacharjya (@joybhattacharj) January 3, 2022

Offering my salutes to Fatima Sheikh, India's first Muslim woman teacher and a great companion of Savitri Mai, on her birth anniversary. Jai Fatima, Jai Bhim. pic.twitter.com/oaHxaj3s2A

— Suraj Kumar Bauddh (@SurajKrBauddh) January 9, 2022

Fatima Sheikh & Savitribai Phule established their school for girls in 1848. Syed Ahmed Khan established MAO College in 1875. Khan is considered as one of the harbingers of modern education but Fatima Sheikh was not accorded the same status. #teachersday https://t.co/XTWZ0w30Xy

— Dilip Mandal (@Profdilipmandal) January 3, 2022

In the year 1848, #FatimaSheikh and #SavitriBaiPhule had set up the first school for girls in India.

The school was opened in the house of Fatima and was also run at her brother Usmain Sheikh, for a period. pic.twitter.com/5zjLIRQNQJ

— Muslims of India (@WeIndianMuslims) January 3, 2022

FATIMA SHEIKH - the woman who Helped Savitribai Phule Set up the First Girls School#FatimaSheikh #BirthAnniversary#girleducation #womanempowerment#education pic.twitter.com/XYlplvOECR

— LOKESH POOJA Ukey (लोकेश पूजा उके) (@LokeshPoojaUkey) January 9, 2022

CPI(M) Karnataka State Conference in session today paid tributes to Savitribai Phule and Fatima Sheikh for their contributions to female literacy and struggle against patriarchy. PBMs Comrades Prakash Karat, M A Baby, BV Raghavulu and State secretary Com U Basavaraj paid tributes pic.twitter.com/cKreHNFjZL

— CPI (M) (@cpimspeak) January 3, 2022

Let's celebrate the birth anniversary of #FatimaSheikh. She was one of the first Muslim teachers of India, who took to teaching Dalit & Muslim girls at the school run by Savitri Bai Phule and Jyotiba Phule.

Grand Salute to the Great Revolutionary Feminist Fatima Shaikh.... pic.twitter.com/evbvhqkCw6

— The Dalit Voice (@ambedkariteIND) January 9, 2022