The South has emerged as the most gender-inclusive region in India, with 16 cities from Southern states making it to the top 25 rankings
Published Jan 10, 2025 | 4:09 PM ⚊ Updated Jan 10, 2025 | 4:09 PM
Bengaluru overtakes Chennai as India’s top city for women
Bengaluru has emerged as India’s top city for women, surpassing Chennai in the latest edition of the Top Cities for Women in India (TCWI) report, released by the Avtar Group, a workplace culture consulting firm.
This marks a significant shift in the rankings, reflecting the city’s growing role as a hub for women’s empowerment and industrial inclusion.
The TCWI report, now in its third edition, ranks 120 cities across India based on a comprehensive City Inclusion Score (CIS).
This score evaluates cities across three key pillars: Social Inclusion Score (SIS), Industrial Inclusion Score (IIS), and Citizen Experience Score (CES). These metrics are derived from a combination of government data, crime records, and feedback from over 1,600 women nationwide.
In addition to Bengaluru taking the top spot, the report reveals a notable rise for Gurugram, which jumped from 20th to 9th place due to the region’s rapid industrialisation and increasing employment opportunities for women.
Mumbai and Hyderabad maintained strong positions, securing the third and fourth spots, respectively.
The South has emerged as the most gender-inclusive region in India, with 16 cities from Southern states making it to the top 25 rankings.
Cities in Tamil Nadu, including Chennai, Coimbatore, and Tiruchirappalli, dominate this list, reflecting the region’s commitment to women’s welfare and inclusion.
Kerala, in particular, stands out with the highest average City Inclusion Score (20.89), followed closely by Telangana and Maharashtra.
“Cities shape the opportunities women have to live, work, and thrive. A data-driven understanding of how these urban spaces are evolving is key to driving gender equality,” said Dr. Saundarya Rajesh, Founder-President of the Avtar Group.
“To truly realise a Viksit Bharat by 2047, we must create environments where women can succeed on par with men—not just through safety and basic services, but by providing avenues for economic success and leadership opportunities,” she said.
Bengaluru’s Rise: Moving up from second place in 2023, Bengaluru is now the top city for women, driven by its strong performance in the Industrial Inclusion Score. However, it ranks third in Social Inclusion, highlighting areas for improvement in safety and women’s representation in public life.
Gurugram’s Surge: The city of Gurugram, often criticised for its infrastructure and safety issues, has climbed significantly in the rankings, largely due to its growing industrial base and employment opportunities for women. It now ranks 9th overall.
Strong Showing by Smaller Cities: Smaller cities like Tiruchirappalli, Vellore, and Puducherry have also made significant progress, with some ranking among the top 25. These cities are emerging as strong contenders in fostering gender-inclusive environments, despite their smaller size.
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The South leads in both social and industrial inclusion, with an average CIS of 18.56, followed by the West at 16.92. The North, including Delhi and Gurugram, has high industrial inclusion but lags behind in social inclusion.
Cities in the Central and Eastern regions scored lower, with averages of 11.79 and 10.55, respectively, due to limited industrial development and fewer opportunities for women.
Kerala, Telangana, and Maharashtra top the state rankings, with Kerala leading with the highest average CIS. Tamil Nadu, with eight cities in the top 25, and Karnataka, home to Bengaluru, also perform well.
Skilling and employment: Gurugram scores highest (7.68/10) for skilling and employment opportunities, with Mumbai (7.60) and Bengaluru (7.54) following closely. Smaller cities like Tiruchirappalli (7.30) also score well in this area.
Infrastructure: Hyderabad excels with the highest infrastructure score (8.01), aided by its efficient public transport and urban planning. Coimbatore (7.75) and Kochi (7.41) also perform well in infrastructure, highlighting the growing importance of smaller cities in providing modern amenities.
Safety: Thiruvananthapuram (7.43), Mumbai (7.19), and Hyderabad (6.95) top the safety rankings. In contrast, cities like Bengaluru (6.17), Kochi (6.02), and Gurugram (5.60) are rated lower in terms of safety by women.
Quality of Life: Coimbatore (7.54), Pune (7.50), and Chennai (7.05) report the best quality of life. Gurugram, however, scores lower (6.34), partly due to environmental and infrastructural challenges.
(Edited by Ananya Rao)
