Abstract
This project explores the possible impact of the presence of a historically matrilineal and matrilocal caste, the Nairs on the population sex ratios and female literacy in the southern Indian state of Kerala in present day. The Nairs with their unique system of inheritance eliminated the root causes of son preference prevalent in the rest of India . As caste data is not published in India since 1931, a novel surname classification of the Indian voters list available for each polling booth in Kerala is adopted to identify the presence of the Nairs in present day. Along with the latest Indian census of 2011 and the historical Indian census for regions in Kerala from the 1870's, the present share of Nairs help bridge the gap of unavailability of present-day caste data to study the question of interest.