Take Fatima Sheikh, India’s first Muslim woman teacher. Her life and work alongside Savitribai and Jyotirao Phule embody the very essence of solidarity and resistance. Together, they challenged Brahmanical patriarchy and caste exclusion, striving for an inclusive education system that empowered the most marginalised. Yet there is an ongoing attempt to erase Fatima Sheikh from mainstream history, her legacy buried under layers of casteist and communal erasure. Her erasure is not a mere oversight but a calculated act, one that seeks to deny the very existence of intersectional struggles against oppression.

This politics of erasure is not isolated; it is part of a broader project to sanitise history, neutralise dissent, and normalise inequalities. By excluding figures like Fatima Sheikh, Dalits, Muslims, Adivasis, women, and persons with disabilities are systematically pushed to the margins of public memory and denied their rightful place in the nation’s narrative.

Historical Revisionism: Sanitising the Past for Oppression

The deliberate erasure of figures like Fatima Sheikh reveals a pattern of historical revisionism designed to sustain existing hierarchies. History is manipulated to present reform movements as caste-neutral, male-driven, and Hindu-led, obscuring the intersectional struggles that shaped them. By erasing Fatima Sheikh, the radical solidarity between Dalits, Muslims, and women is invisibilised, and the convenient, dominant narrative of typical prototype reformers as saviours is reinforced.

B.R. Ambedkar, for instance, is sanitised into a token figure, hailed as the architect of the Constitution but stripped of his scathing critique of caste and his revolutionary vision for an egalitarian society. His advocacy for reservations, a lifeline for educational equity, is sidelined even as these policies are viciously attacked today. Ambedkar’s fiery critique of Hinduism’s role in upholding caste oppression is deliberately erased from school curricula and public discourse, making it easier to appropriate him while gutting his radical ideas.

Similarly, the contributions of Muslim freedom fighters like Ashfaqulla Khan and Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan are systematically downplayed to sustain communal stereotypes. Women like Jhalkaribai, the Dalit warrior who fought alongside Rani Lakshmibai, and Begum Rokeya, a Muslim reformer who championed women’s education, are excluded to uphold patriarchal and casteist narratives. Even Adivasi leaders like Birsa Munda, who fought against colonial exploitation and for Adivasi rights, are reduced to hollow symbols, their histories carefully erased to sustain their marginalisation.

But the silence is uneasy most of all when it comes to disabled individuals. Their absence from historical narratives is not just glaring but insidious. It reflects the deeply entrenched ableism in Indian society, which sees disability not as a social issue but as a private affliction to be ignored. This erasure denies disabled people even the most token representation, ensuring they remain outside the frameworks of education, policy, and society itself.

The Violent Silence of Ableism

The absence of discourse on disability in historical narratives is perhaps the most violent form of erasure. It is not just a denial of disabled lives but a refusal to even acknowledge their struggles and contributions. Ableist attitudes perpetuate the idea that disabled people are incapable of agency or participation in society, reinforcing their marginalisation.

Statements like “the deaf and blind do not go to school with others” go unchallenged, as though their exclusion is natural. This systematic exclusion reinforces invisibility of disabled, creating a narrative of othering and leaving a place only at the bottom of the social hierarchy, with no place in history and no claim to justice.

Ableism is a tool of domination, one that intersects with caste, gender, and religion to maintain systems of oppression. By refusing to document the lives and struggles of disabled people, society ensures an easy othering where disabled are invisible, unaccounted for, and unrepresented. This silence is not benign, it is violent.

Education: A Weapon of Exclusion

The erasure of marginalised voices from history is deeply tied to the politics of education. Education is not merely a tool for liberation; it has also been weaponised to exclude. By controlling whose stories are taught, dominant groups perpetuate the myth that Dalits, Muslims, Adivasis, women, and disabled people are undeserving of knowledge, power, or leadership.

This exclusion is evident in the privatisation of education, which transforms a fundamental right into an elitist privilege. Marginalised communities, already struggling under systemic oppression, are locked out of educational spaces, ensuring a continued cycle of poverty and exclusion. Reservation policies, which aim to provide equitable access, are constantly undermined. Their necessity is questioned as the struggles that birthed them are erased from public memory.

For disabled people, the exclusion is even starker. Accessible education systems and infrastructure are virtually non-existent, leaving them reliant on charity rather than rights-based systems. The very idea of education for the disabled is treated as an afterthought, ensuring they remain on the margins, locked out of opportunities for participation in society.

Reclaiming Radical Histories

To resist the politics of erasure, we must reclaim the radical histories of marginalised communities. Fatima Sheikh’s story must be restored not simply as a tribute to her legacy but as a weapon against the narratives that erase the struggles of Dalits, Muslims, Adivasis, women, and disabled people. The histories of Ambedkar, Jhalkaribai, Ashfaqulla Khan, Birsa Munda, and countless others must be told in their entirety, with their radical critiques and intersectional struggles at the forefront.

The absence of disability discourse must also be addressed. Disabled people’s lives and struggles must be documented, acknowledged, and integrated into mainstream narratives. This requires dismantling ableist attitudes and creating systems that recognise disability as a social and political issue, and not a personal battle.

The Politics of Memory and Justice

The politics of historical erasure is not just about the past, it is about controlling the present and foreclosing the future. By denying Fatima Sheikh and others like her their rightful place in history, the ruling elite seeks to sustain a system of exclusion that privileges dominant castes, religions, and abilities.

Fatima Sheikh’s legacy reminds us that education is not a privilege for the few but a right for all. Her work challenges the casteist, communal, patriarchal, and ableist narratives that underpin Indian society, offering a vision of education as a tool for liberation and solidarity. To honour her is to fight against the forces that erase her.

The fight against historical erasure is, ultimately, a fight for justice. It is a fight to ensure that history reflects the struggles and contributions of all communities, and that education becomes a tool to dismantle hierarchies rather than perpetuate them. This fight demands that we challenge the dominant narratives, expose their silences, and reclaim the radical potential of memory to inspire resistance and solidarity. Let us carry forward this fight, with the legacy of all those erased from history as our guide; while it remains important to ask ‘who benefits from these erasures?’

Shirin Akhter is Associate Professor, Department of Economics, Zakir Husain Delhi College, University of Delhi. Sharamisthaa Atreja is Assistant Professor at the Department of Philosophy, University of Delhi. The views are personal.

Courtesy: Newsclick

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Women and men have equal contribution in the formation and upliftment of society. The contribution of men is often discussed, but the social work done by women is less  discussed. Two and a half centuries ago, Savitribai Phule and Fatima Sheikh, who worked in the field of education for women and Dalits, were revolutionary women of their time. Together they worked for education and social reform. Savitribai Phule’s contribution is familiar to us. But not much information is available about Fatima Sheikh. From the letters of Savitri Bai we get information about Fatima Sheikh.

Savitribai Phule was born on January 3, 1831 at Naigaon in Satara district of Maharashtra. Savitribai was married to Jotiba Phule in 1840. Jotiba lived with his cousin Sagunabai. After marriage, Jotiba Phule continued his education. Along with his own studies, Jotiba also started teaching Savitribai at home. Soon Savitribai learned to read and write Marathi and English. After this, Savitribai passed the school examination. Savatribai knew the importance of education. Savitribai and Jotiba wanted that like them, backward class women in the society should also get the opportunity to read and write. At that time there was no system of education for Dalits and backward castes.

Jotiba and Savitribai decided to open a school for girls. But the problem was where to get female teachers to teach the girls? Where there’s a will there’s a way. Savitribai took the responsibility of this great work. She completed a teacher training course from Missionary College. She became  a trained teacher. Thus Jotiba and Savitribai laid the foundation of the first women’s school in Pune in 1848. Running a school for women was not an easy task. Initially, parents were not ready to send their daughters to school. People were not in favour of educating girls. They had an ignorant belief that if girls were taught, seven generations of them would go to hell. It becomes very difficult to explain to people in such a situation.Despite this, Savitribai did not lose heart. She used to go to people’s houses, understand and discuss them with love and compassion. She told people the importance of education.

Fatima Shaikh belonged to an ordinary Muslim family. She was born on January 9, 1831. She was the first educated woman from the Muslim Community at that time. Fatima Sheikh used to live in Pune with her elder brother Usman Sheikh. Osman Sheikh was a childhood friend of Mahatma Phule. Like Mahatma Phule, he was open minded. Due to their efforts, Fatima was also able to read and write. Inspired by Savitribai’s work, Fatima Shaikh also came forward with courage. After coming with Fatima Sheikh, Savitribai’s courage doubled. Fatima Shaikh’s association brought life to the girls’ school.

Now the girls’ school work started with great enthusiasm. Both Fatima and Savitribai used to get up early in the morning. After completing the housework, they used to devote full time to school. They have had equal support from Jotiba and Usman Shaikh. Initially there were only six girls in the school. Gradually this number started increasing. Everything was going according to plan. But the upper caste community of the city did not like this girls education movement. They opposed the Phule family saying that this work was anti-scriptural. Despite this, Savitribai and Fatima Shaikh continued their efforts. The protesters put pressure on Jotiba’s father Govindrao. Govindrao was threatened with ostracism from the society. Due to this opposition, Govindrao forced Jotiba to close the school or leave the house. Jotiba and Savitribai wanted to continue their mission at any cost. He did not listen to his father. Finally they had to leave their home.

No one in Pune city was willing to support them at the time. Savitribai was being persecuted for the education of more girls. Here, the ‘boycott gang’ of the elite cast a social boycott on the Phule couple. No one came to their aid due to the fear of social ostracism. The Phule family was labeled traitors and heretics. In such a crisis, Mahatma Phule’s childhood friend Usman Sheikh came forward as an angel. Usman Sheikh opened his private farm to the Phule family. The Shaikh family not only supported Savitribai and Jotiba but also gave a part of their house to run the school. In this way, a girls’ school was started from the house of Fatima Sheikh. Usman Shaikh and Fatima faced constant opposition in their own community.

Like Savitribai, Fatima Sheikh was also called evil. They were taunted, abused. Mud, dung was thrown on them. Both Fatima Shaikh and Savitribai were very fearless and brave women, they bore the torture silently. Both did not give up, and continued to improve the future of girls with double dedication and hard work. In 1850, he established an institution called ‘The Native Female School, Pune’. Total 18 schools were opened around Pune city under this organization. At that time there was no education system for Dalit children like women. To overcome this problem, Mahatma Phule founded an organization called ‘Society for the Promoting Education of Mahar and Mang’, thus starting a school for women as well as children from underprivileged communities.

Fatima Shaikh emerged as the first Muslim woman who worked for the education of Muslim women as well as for the education of the Bahujan community. We can understand that two hundred years ago, it must have been an act of courage for a Muslim woman to step out of the four walls of the house and do such social work. Fatima Shaikh not only carried forward Savitribai’s mission but also stood by her side in times of crisis. In the absence of Savitri Bai, Fatima Shaikh used to take care of all the responsibilities of the school administration. The number of female students in the school started to increase. After completing their education, her students also started playing the role of teacher.

Gradually, Savitri Bai expanded her social work. Child marriage was a practice in the society at that time. Many girls became widows at an early age. Besides, single mothers who were completely ostracized by the society had no other option but to commit suicide. On January 28, 1853, Mahatma Phule and Savitribai opened an ashram named ‘Bal Hatya Pratibandhak Griha’ for such victimized women. This was the first such ashram for women in the country. In this ashram, women were taught small jobs and their children were taken care of. When they grew up, they were admitted to school. One day an unmarried pregnant woman named Kashibai came to the ashram. Savitribai supported her, later the Phule couple adopted and socially rejected Kashibai’s new born male child, his name was Dr. Yashwant. Savitribai made him a successful doctor by educating him.

It is the story of 1896, during that time plague was spread in Mumbai and Pune. Savitribai was engaged in the service of people. In the meantime, she was stricken with plague and on 10 March 1897, this great social reformer sacrificed her life. Sawatribai and Fatima Shaikh ignited the flame of education and knowledge in the lives of hundreds of women. Shudras and women were shown the way to live with self-respect through education. Women today are on the path of progress, more independent than ever before. The struggles and sacrifices of great people like Mahatma Phule, Savitribai, Fatima Sheikh are hidden in the upliftment of women. It is a matter of pride for all of us to remember the contribution of great women like Savitribai and Fatima Shaikh on 8th March International Women’s Day.

( The author is with Janavadi Lekhak Sangh, Maharashtra)

Related:

Remembering Fatima Sheikh, the first Muslim teacher who laid the foundation of Dalit-Muslim unity

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The answer lies in the 1850s when the first chapter of Dalit-Muslim unity was written by Jyotiba and Savitribai Phule along with Fatima Sheikh, who took charge of spreading education among the downtrodden communities.
 

While Jyotiba and Savitribai Phule started teaching women and those from the oppressed castes, they were threatened by the locals. Their families were targeted too and were given the choice of either stopping all their activities or leaving their home. They obviously chose the latter.

Neither their caste nor their family and community members stood for what they fought for. Abandoned by everyone around, the duo searched for shelter to live in and to fulfill their educational dreams for the oppressed section of the society. During their search, they came across a Muslim man Usman Sheikh, who was living in Ganj Peth of Pune (then known as Poona). Usman Sheikh offered his home to the Phule couple and agreed to run a school in the premises. In 1848, a school was opened in the house of Usman Sheikh and her sister Fatima Shiekh.

It was no surprise that almost everyone from the upper caste of Poona was against the practices of Jyotiba and Savitribai, and there were even attempts to murder Jyotiba. It was Fatima Sheikh who helped and supported their cause in every possible manner.

Fatima Sheikh started teaching in the same school with Savitribai Phule. Savitribai and Fatima were accompanied by Saguna Bai, who later became another leader in the education movement. Usman Sheikh, the brother of Fatima Sheikh, was also inspired by the movement of Jyotiba and Savitribai Phule. According to archives from that period, it was Usman Sheikh who encouraged her sister Fatima to spread the education in the society.

When Fatima and Savitribai started going to schools which were established by Jyotiba, people from upper caste community used to harass them and abuse them. They were stone pelted and sometimes cow dung was thrown at them as it was unimaginable for the upper-caste community to see lower castes of the society getting educated. Fatima and Savitribai didn’t pay attention to these hindrances and continued their work.

The journey was even tougher for Fatima Sheikh, as she was opposed by both the Hindu as well as Muslim community both for what she was doing. However, as we now know, she never gave up and continued to go door to door, encouraging families and parents especially those from the Muslim community. As several writings say, Fatima used to spent hours counselling parents who did not wish to send their girls to schools.

Fatima Sheikh is now widely regarded as the first Muslim woman teacher of the 19th century and it is a badge which Indian Muslim community wears with pride.

Although there isn’t much literature available over the lives and works of Fatima Sheikh, there have been attempts made by the government to acknowledge her role. In 2014, Fatima Sheikh’s brief profile was included in the school Urdu textbooks of Bal Bharati Maharashtra State Bureau along with the likes of Sir Syed Ahmad Khan, Zakir Hussain, Abul Kalam Azad. Although some from the Maratha community objected to the same, it goes without saying that she was a Marathi too, as she was born in the region and propagated the idea of education in the same region.
On the occasion of Dalit history month being celebrated April, an internet archive ‘Dalit History’ writes about Fatima Sheikh –

The friendship between Fatima and Savitri was one of respect, compassion and synergy. Throughout their time together, Savitri would often mention her in her letters to Jyotirao with affection and concern. Their friendship lives today in the form of the work they have done in creating both foundation will and actual structures for uplifting of the marginalized.

Relationships between Muslims, Dalits, Adivasis and Bahujans have a long history of struggle against Brahminical oppression that is often erased or misrepresented by today’s political agendas. It remains undeniable that the association of Savitribai, Jyotirao, Fatima and the Dalits, Adivasis and Bahujan they worked with, represents a line of solidarity continuing into the contemporary call for “Unity of The Oppressed”. A call that seeks to merge the struggles of SC/ST/OBC and Religious Minorities. ”

Courtesy: Two Circles
 

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एक लडकी ने आज से कोई डेढ़ सौ साल पहले पुणे के भिडेवाड़ा में एक स्कूल की दहलीज़ पर पहला क़दम रखा। स्कूल की टीचर फ़ातिमा शेख़ ओर सावित्रीबाई फुले ने उस लड़की का नन्हा सा हाथ थामा और उसके कान में पहले शब्द कहे- ए, बी, सी, डी। भारतीय समाज के लगभग ढाई हज़ार साल के इतिहास की यह सबसे बड़ी क्रांति थी।

अब ज़रा ग़ौर से देखिए। यूपीएससी की सिविल सर्विस परीक्षा की इस साल की टॉपर टीना डाबी वही लडकी है। उसने भिडेवाड़ा में 1848 में खुले देश के पहले गर्ल्स स्कूल में क़दम रखा और उसके बाद क़दम दर क़दम आगे बढ़ती हुई वह नई दिल्ली के यूपीएससी के हेडक्वार्टर धौलपुर हाउस में सिविल सर्विस का इंटरव्यू देने पहुँची और टॉपर बनकर निकली। आईसीएससी की 12 वीं की इस साल की टॉपर आद्या मदी भी वही लड़की है। स्कूल एक्ज़ाम में साल दर साल लड़कों से बेहतर परफ़ॉर्म करने वाली वही लडकी है। सैराट फिल्म के लिए राष्ट्रीय पुरस्कार जीतने वाली रिंकू राजगुरू भी वही है।

दरअसल, आपके पड़ोस की जो भी लडकी पढ़ रही है, नौकरी या बिज़नेस कर रही है, घर से बाहर निकल रही है, बाइक ओर स्कूटर या कार चला रही है, कला-संस्कृति के क्षेत्र में काम कर रही है, वे सब सावित्रीबाई और फ़ातिमा शेख़ की संतानें हैं।

और यह सब सिर्फ डेढ़ सौ साल में हो गया।

लेकिन 1848 में जब महात्मा ज्योतिबा फुले ने देश का पहला बालिका विद्यालय खोला और फ़ातिमा शेख और सावित्रीबाई फुले ने वहाँ पढ़ाने की ज़िम्मेदारी सँभाली, तो कुछ लोग थे जिन्हें यह पसंद नहीं आया। आज भी कुछ लोग हैं, जिन्हें लड़कियों का आगे बढ़ना, उनका स्वतंत्र हैसियत हासिल करना पसंद नहीं है।

1848 में वे महिला शिक्षिकाओं पर गोबर और गंदगी फेंक देके थे। शिक्षिकाएं थैली में दूसरी साड़ी लेकर जाती थीं, जिसे पहनकर वे पढ़ाती थीं। तब लोगों को लगता था कि लड़कियों को पढ़ाना धर्म और परंपरा के खिलाफ है। स्त्री शिक्षा को वे नर्क का द्वार मानते थे। इससे ब्राह्मणवाद पर संकट आ जाता है।

आज भी कुछ लोग हैं, जो स्त्री शिक्षा के विरोधी हैं। लड़कियाँ जब जींस पहनती हैं, तो उनकी संस्कृति ख़तरे में पड़ जाती है। वेलेंटाइन डे पर वे लोग डर जाते हैं और तोड़फोड़ करने लगते हैं। जाति तोड़कर प्रेम करने वालों की वे हत्या कर देते हैं। वे गर्भ में ही लडकियों को मार देते हैं। आरएसएस हम सबके बीच यह प्रचार करता है कि लडकियों को घर संभालना चाहिए।

सावित्रीबाई फुले और फ़ातिमा शेख की बेटियाँ उन पर हँसती हैं।

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