Average Height in India: Men, Women & Trends
The honest numbers on Indian height — men, women, regional differences, and how a century of change is making Indians taller.
The average height in India is approximately 166 cm (5'5") for men and 155 cm (5'1") for women. These are national approximations — real averages shift by several centimeters between regions, between cities and villages, and between generations.
You will find many different figures quoted online for Indian height, and they rarely agree. That is because India is not one population for this purpose: a Punjabi man and a Tamil woman come from very different genetic and nutritional histories, and no single number captures both.
This guide gives you the honest headline numbers, explains the regional differences most articles gloss over, and shows the clearest trend in the data — Indians are getting taller, generation by generation.
The headline numbers
National surveys of Indian adults consistently land in the same neighborhood:
| Group | Average height | In feet/inches |
|---|---|---|
| Men | ~166 cm | ~5'5" |
| Women | ~155 cm | ~5'1" |
Approximate national averages from population surveys. Figures vary by study year, age group, and methodology — treat them as reference points, not exact measurements.
India is not one height: regional differences
The national average hides real variation. Broadly speaking:
- • Northern and northwestern states (Punjab, Haryana, parts of Rajasthan and UP) average several centimeters above the national figure — a mix of genetics and historically dairy-rich diets.
- • Southern and eastern states average below the national figure, with the shortest averages in parts of the Northeast and central tribal regions.
- • Urban Indians measure taller than rural Indians at every age — the gap reflects childhood nutrition, healthcare access, and disease burden more than anything else.
The 100-year story: Indians are getting taller
A century ago, the average Indian man stood roughly 160 cm or less. Famines, chronic undernutrition, and infectious disease kept generations short. What changed is one of the great public-health stories of the 20th century:
- • The Green Revolution (1960s–70s) sharply increased food availability and ended the era of mass famine.
- • Falling child mortality and better disease control meant more children reached their full growth potential.
- • Rising incomes brought more protein — especially dairy, eggs, and pulses — into everyday diets.
How do you compare?
Averages are interesting, but they cannot tell you anything about your own growth — that needs your personal history, your parents' heights, and your growth curve.
See where you stand and what your family pattern predicts:
Frequently asked questions
Are Indians getting taller?
Yes. A century of better nutrition, disease control, and rising incomes has raised average height with each generation. The trend is clearest when comparing grandparents, parents, and today's teenagers — and it has not stopped.
What is the average height of an Indian male?
Approximately 166 cm (5'5"), based on national population surveys. Men in northern and northwestern states average a few centimeters more; men in southern, eastern, and tribal regions average a few centimeters less.
Why are South Indians shorter on average?
It is a mix of genetics and history, not a single cause. Southern populations have different ancestral origins than northern ones, and for much of the 20th century the South also faced greater nutritional constraints. As nutrition equalizes, regional gaps are narrowing — which is exactly what you would expect if environment, not just genes, were doing much of the work.
Is 170 cm (5'7") considered tall in India?
For a man, 170 cm is a few centimeters above the national average of ~166 cm — noticeably above average, though not remarkably tall. For a woman, 170 cm is well above the ~155 cm average and would be considered tall anywhere in the country.