Hyderabad: The birth anniversary of Fatima Sheikh, an early Indian educator and social reformer, was celebrated on Thursday in Telangana minority residential schools and junior colleges.
Rich tributes were paid to Fatima Sheikh, who was India’s first Muslim woman educator.
Telangana Minorities Residential Educational Society (TGMREIS) had issued an order to all residential schools and junior colleges under it to celebrate the birth anniversary of Fatima Sheikh, who played a pivotal role alongside Savitribai Phule and Jyotirao Phule in advancing girls’ education in India. She also actively worked within the community to encourage girls education duly challenging the prevailing social norms of the time.
Students of schools and junior colleges were educated about the contributions of Fatima Sheikh.
Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy paid tributes to Fatima Sheikh on her birth anniversary. He said she worked tirelessly for the upliftment of the oppressed and downtrodden sections.
The Chief Minister recalled that Fatima Sheikh was a great leader who fought against inequalities as a colleague of social reformer Savitribai Phule. He recalled that she was the first Muslim woman teacher in modern India and a role model for many.
Born on January 9, 1831, Fatima Sheikh was a trailblazer in women’s education and social reform. At a time when caste and gender discrimination were deeply entrenched in society, she stood alongside Savitribai and Jyotirao Phule.
When the Phule couple was ostracised by their community for advocating education for all girls, irrespective of caste, Fatima Sheikh opened the doors of her home to them. It was from her house that the Phules ran India’s first school for girls.
She actively fought against gender inequality and caste-based discrimination, emphasising the importance of education not just for privileged sections but for every girl regardless of caste and religion.
