Sanskrit speakers in Census of India

Sat Aug 16 22:35:08 UTC 2008

According to the Census of India figures for Sanskrit speakers I have  
collected  there are some strange figures:

1971 Census 2,212  indicated Sanskrit as their mother tongue
1981 Census 6,106
1991 Census 49,736
2001 Census 14,135
The decadal percentage figures are:
1971-81  	176.04 % increase
1981-91 	714.54 % increase
1991-2001 	-71.5 % decrease

How come  35,601 Sanskrit speakers disappeared between 1991 and  
2001?  Does anyone have an idea?

Best regards to all
Stella Sandahl

--
Professor Stella Sandahl
Department of East Asian Studies
130 St. George St. room 14087
Toronto, ON M5S 3H1
ssandahl at sympatico.ca
stella.sandahl at utoronto.ca
Tel. (416) 978-4295
Fax. (416) 978-5711