Bengaluru retains top spot as India’s leading city for women: Avtar report

Bengaluru retained its spot as the top city for women in India, according to the fourth edition of “Top Cities for Women in India” (TCWI) report released by workplace culture consulting firm, Avtar Group. Also, five cities from South Indian states feature in the top 10 list. Gurugram is the only North Indian city in the list.

The TCWI report introduces a longitudinal inclusivity index that measures how Indian cities support women’s participation in the workforce, ensure safety, and enable career growth and continuity over time. It highlights role-model cities and emerging best practices, while offering a structured framework to help organisations, policymakers, and urban stakeholders strengthen women’s workforce participation and long-term career advancement.

The report lists the top 10 cities for women in India in 2025 as Bengaluru, Chennai, Pune, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Gurugram, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Thiruvananthapuram, and Coimbatore.

The 2025 edition of the study spans 125 cities and benchmarks its findings against earlier editions dating back to 2022. Cities are ranked using an overall City Inclusion Score (CIS), derived from Avtar’s research and government data. The CIS is calculated on the basis of two key parameters: the Social Inclusion Score (SIS) and the Industrial Inclusion Score (IIS). The Social Inclusion Score is based on four indicators: city liveability, safety, women’s representation in employment and women’s empowerment. 

The Industrial Inclusion Score is calculated based on the density of gender inclusive organisations; the density of women-friendly/inclusive industries in a city, and career enablers provided to women by organisations.

The key findings of the Top Cities for Women in India 2025 report are:

• Bengaluru remains the top city for women in India in 2025, with a City Inclusion Score of 53.29, reflecting sustained strength in Industrial Inclusion and career enablement.
• Chennai is second in the list with a City Inclusion Score of 49.86, and leads on social inclusion parameters such as safety mechanisms, public services, mobility initiatives and access to health and education.
• Pune (46.27), Hyderabad (46.04), and Mumbai (44.49) complete the top five.
• Gurugram moves from No. 9 in 2024 to No. 6 on the list. 
• Delhi, Gurugram, and Noida perform strongly on industrial inclusion but lag on social indicators such as safety, affordability, and mobility.
• Thiruvananthapuram, Shimla, and Tiruchirappalli show strong social inclusion outcomes but relatively limited industrial depth. This gap points to constraints in local economic mobility for women and a lack of large-scale formal employment opportunities, despite the presence of strong social foundations.
• Hyderabad, Kolkata and Pune stand out as fairly balanced inclusion profiles.
• Mumbai shows strong industrial inclusion (with an IIS of 69.00) but relatively weaker social inclusion (with a SIS of 38.44).
• The 2025 TCWI rankings show a rise in Tier-2 cities among the top performers, signalling a decentralisation of women-friendly urban ecosystems beyond India’s largest metros.

Regional analysis: 

• Topping the inclusivity rankings, the Southern region records the highest scores across all three indices, with an average CIS of 21.60, SIS of 27.81, and IIS of 11.61. These outcomes suggest a more coordinated policy and ecosystem approach to strengthening social systems and expanding women’s access to education, health, safety, and industrial opportunities.
• Following closely, the Western region posts a regional average CIS of 20.00 and SIS of 25.47, while leading all regions on industrial inclusion with an IIS of 12.01—pointing to stronger industrial depth supported by favourable social enablers.
• Central and Eastern regions trail across both inclusion dimensions–social and industrial–especially industrial inclusion.

Speaking at the release event of the report’s findings, Dr Saundarya Rajesh, Managing Director of Avtar Group, said, “Over the years, the TCWI study has evolved into a tool of accountability that asks a simple question: Can a woman truly thrive in this city? It measures the real ease of career and life for women, whether cities enable women to enter the workforce, stay, grow, and lead.”

She added: “In today’s context, cities must also take a broader view of inclusion, one that considers environmental resilience, supportive infrastructure, digital readiness, intergenerational equity, and respect for diverse perspectives. When these elements come together, women thrive, thereby strengthening local economies and moving India closer to its long-term development goals.”