In 1951, the Census of India stopped providing information on religious subdivisions. Since then, data on castes, denominations, and sects have been hard to come by. In this pioneering study based on the Kerala Migration Surveys, K.C. Zachariah estimates the demographic and socio-economic characteristics of religious communities in Kerala, and fills the void for the state in recent years.

Collating data on seven Hindu castes, nine Christian denominations, and two Muslims sects, the author examines, among other things, the geographic distribution, age structure, education levels, migration, remittances, and household economic conditions of communities. His Index of Development Benefit and population projections up to 2051 give us a peek into Kerala’s future.

Rich in data and filled with nuggets of information, the book provides empirical evidence for policymaking and meaningful discussions on the changing demographic and socio-economic landscape of Kerala.