Confession:
I had created a myth or a fabricated character and named her Fatima Sheikh.
Please forgive me. The truth is that “Fatima Sheikh” never existed; she is not a historical figure. Not a real person.
It is my mistake that, during a particular phase, I created this name out of nothing—essentially from thin air. I did that knowingly.
You will not find a single entry in a Google search earlier. No article, no book, no mention. Nothing.
Interest in her vanished in 2022 when I abandoned the story of Fatima Sheikh.
She came in social media narrative and just vanished
Do not ask why I did it. It was a matter of time and circumstance. A figure needed to be constructed for a purpose, and so I crafted one.
Thousands of people can attest to this—most of them heard this name from me for the first time.
I know the art of creating narratives, of building images. I have mastered this craft, so it was not difficult for me.
A fictional sketch was created because there were no old photographs. I spun many stories about her.
And thus, Fatima Sheikh came into being.
The story spread. Those who needed this narrative for political and ideological purposes amplified it.
The complete writings of Jyotiba Phule and Savitribai Phule have been published, and nowhere is the name Fatima Sheikh mentioned as someone who taught alongside them. Even Babasaheb Ambedkar never referred to such a name.
No biographer of Mahatma Phule or Savitribai Phule has mentioned Fatima Sheikh. No Muslim scholar referenced this name until 15 years ago. British documents that discuss the educational efforts of the Phule couple make no mention of Fatima Sheikh either.
She is nowhere to be found—absolutely nowhere.
As evidence, please refrain from digging up my old tweets, Facebook posts, articles, or videos.
I have mentioned Fatima Sheikh’s name the most. I admit to this. But she never existed.
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