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HR 63/2, 38-79 2010
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A well-known writer in Malayalam literature, Veerendra Kumar is also proficient in English and Kannada languages. married with three daughters and a son, Mr. Kumar has been steering the socio-cultural and political scenario of kerala for a long lime. Besides Mathribhumi he is also the publisher of a number of magazines in the fields of sports, health, films, career guidance, life style, etc. He also runs a number of educational instiutions in Calicut, Cochin and Thiruananthapuram. His son Shreyas Kumar is a member of the Kerala Legislative Assembly. Jain Population in Kerala
Since the ancient times, the population of Jains in Kerala has always been small compared to other South Inidian states. Thus as late as in 1951 there were only 1,398 Jains in Kerala, Their numbers increased to 2,967 in 1961, 3,336 in 1971 and 3,605 in 1981. The last figure represents a slight decrease in the Jain population in Kerala during the 1970s. Almost negligible increase was recorded between 1981 and 1991 with the figure of 3,641 in 1991. But it was significant during the period 19912001 reaching the figure to 4,528 the highest level in modern era of Kerala,s history.
The State of Kerala has the smallest Jain population in South India: only 4,528 as per the 2001 census of India. The population is almost equally divided into males (2,268) and females(2,260), giving rise to a balanced sex ratio. In terms of residence, a little more Jains live in towns and cities (2,328) than in rural areas (2,200). The 2001 census enumerations in Kerala further suggest that 21.0 per cent of Jain population in Kerala is cultivatiors, another 7.7 per cent of them are agricultural workers, 3.6 per cent are househodl industry workers, and over two-third of the Jain population in Kerala is occupationally engaged in services, professions and trade and commercial activities, etc.
Table: 1 Population of Jains in Kerala, 1951-2001
1951 |1,388
1961 2,967
1971 3,336
1981 1991 2001 3,6053,6414,528
Source: Census of India 2001, First Report of Religious Data, Registrar General Office, New Delhi, 2005, p.xxxvi.
