Women’s Day: The city’s three-question test
Byline: Shivani Venugopal
Tomorrow is International Women’s Day. In Bangalore’s glass towers, the day will arrive with cupcakes in the pantry, panels on empowerment, and polite applause for the women who keep the wheels turning.
A few kilometres away, under the sharp pre-summer sun, countless women will work through the day as they always do, mostly unnoticed.
Between the celebration and the silence lies a deeper story about the city’s women. Bangalore produces educated, ambitious women in large numbers. Yet many quietly slip out of the workforce after marriage or motherhood. Those who stay often find the climb narrowing midway – the higher the ladder goes, the fewer women you see.
If a city prides itself on innovation, equality cannot remain a slogan on conference banners. It must show up in who leads companies, who gets funding, who commands police ranks, who sits in elected office, and who earns the same wage for the same work.
On the eve of Women’s Day, Our Bangalore put three questions to five women across sectors to test a claim – Is Bangalore truly the model it imagines itself to be, or still a work in progress? Read on…
OB: Beyond token gestures, what real structural change would most improve women’s safety & opportunities in this city?
It is difficult to talk about structural change without addressing cultural change. Government initiatives such as the Shakti Scheme, Udyogini and Griha Lakshmi, the so-called “five guarantees”, have certainly made an impact. You can see it in the rising use of public transport by working women and college students. These schemes recognise inequity and attempt affirmative action. But one must also ask whether they are driven by long-term reform or electoral arithmetic. The Election Commission of India reported that female voter turnout in Karnataka during the Lok Sabha polls stood at 69.65%. That is significant, and politicians are aware of the electorate they must appeal to.
Kirtana Kumar, actor, filmmaker & director
Women will step out and create their own space; they will continue to be agents of change. But they still need infrastructure that backs them. Gender-sensitive workplaces, stronger safety mechanisms and quicker responses to violence are crucial. Unless governments address these basics, conversations about safety and opportunity for women in cities will remain incomplete.
Madhu Nataraj, classical dancer
Cities often speak the language of equality, but women do not always begin from the same starting line. Equity means recognising the different realities women face and building systems that support them — whether it is safety at night, access to opportunities or freedom from social judgement. Real change will come when institutions, workplaces and communities stop expecting women to adjust and instead create systems that understand their realities.
Aisshwarya DKS Hedge, edupreneur
What we need is a structural shift in institutional accountability — not just helplines, better lighting or advertisements showcasing a narrow image of empowerment. The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 must see mandatory, audited compliance across public and private sectors. A strong rights-based system should also coordinate support for women facing domestic violence, dowry harassment or family conflicts. When due process works predictably and transparently, safety stops being seen as a “women’s issue” and becomes a governance issue. That is real structural change.
Brinda Adige, activist
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OB: Across boardrooms, film sets, arts, sports, start-ups & politics, whose stories remain outside the Women’s Day spotlight & why?
When it comes down to brass tacks, women are still left behind — or worse, overlooked despite their efforts. The work many women do is almost Sisyphean: working twice as hard to get half as far. We often celebrate outliers — the women who have achieved extraordinary success — but rarely speak about the privileges that helped them get there. I have spoken to women on the Metro who wake at unearthly hours to cook and care for their families before heading to IT jobs where they answer to male bosses who have little time for their concerns. That is the cultural side of the equity conundrum. Even the so-called Kerala model — with high literacy and strong public and political participation by women — shows deep cultural cracks when it comes to gender respect and sexuality education. Bangalore is no different.
Kirtana Kumar, actor, filmmaker & director
Women occupy their spaces in unique ways — whether in boardrooms or in the performing arts. As an urban dancer, we are visible. But folk artists and those from marginalised communities often remain outside the spotlight, despite being bold voices for change. Chowdike Mela artists from North Karnataka have long been asking for equitable space on the main stage, yet they continue to be ignored. Rural artists are the ones most often left out of the narrative.
Madhu Nataraj, classical dancer
Women’s Day should not simply be about waiting for society to celebrate us. It should also be a moment when women pledge to support and uplift one another. When women build cultures of appreciation and solidarity, the meaning of the day deepens. Beyond public achievements, we must recognise the woman at home — the one who holds families together, raises the next generation, supports careers and sustains communities. Her work may not make headlines, but it shapes society in profound ways. Women’s Day becomes meaningful when we widen the lens — celebrating not only those who break ceilings, but also those who quietly hold the world together.
Aisshwarya DKS Hedge, edupreneur
Gender equity in boardrooms and leadership forums is essential to bring in diverse perspectives that lead to better decision-making. When a wider range of viewpoints is represented, organisations are better able to account for complex factors that might otherwise be overlooked. This is particularly critical in boardrooms, where decisions often carry long-term consequences far beyond the immediate sphere of influence. The more diverse the voices in any forum, the stronger and more effective the outcomes tend to be.
Pavitra Shankar, business woman
Those without elite access are often missing from the Women’s Day narrative — Dalit and Adivasi women, Muslim and Christian women, women with disabilities, queer and trans persons, migrant workers, informal sector workers, domestic workers and contract staff. Women’s Day platforms often celebrate visibility rather than vulnerability. The spotlight usually falls on English-speaking, urban, upper-caste, upper-class women because they are institutionally legible and socially palatable. Structural inequality is uncomfortable; intersectionality disrupts easy celebratory storytelling.
Brinda Adige, activist
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OB: If one hard metric could reveal Bangalore’s true commitment to gender equity, what would it be, and how does the city measure up?
On the surface, Bangalore looks encouraging women visible in public spaces, exercising freedoms, and present in education and employment. But whether this visibility translates into decision-making power, equal pay, equal opportunity and fair political participation for all women is another question. That said, I deeply appreciate the energy and visibility of women in this city. Conversations with young, urban, educated women consistently amaze me – their progressive thinking, their commitment to building inclusive spaces and their willingness to recalibrate ideas of power and success.
Kirtana Kumar, actor, filmmaker & director
For me, the metric would be Bangalore’s inclusive nature. I came here as a teenager from Delhi, where even walking back from school meant worrying about flashers on the street. In Bangalore, I found myself riding a moped safely even at 1 am. That sense of openness and safety still defines the city. Bangalore remains one of the safer cities largely because of its inclusive culture and the presence of women in leadership roles. What we need now is to ensure that even more women step into positions of leadership.
Madhu Nataraj, classical dancer
Bangalore has made encouraging progress, particularly in entrepreneurship and education, where more women are stepping into visible roles. But there is still significant ground to cover, especially in corporate and technology sectors where decision-making tables remain largely male-dominated. True gender equity will be visible when women are not just participants in the workforce but active decision-makers shaping policies, organisations and opportunities. Women leaders often create pathways for many more women within the system, and that ripple effect is what drives lasting change. One meaningful way forward is consciously recognising and promoting more women into leadership roles.
Aisshwarya DKS Hedge, edupreneur
Bangalore’s long-standing reputation as a cosmopolitan hub and centre for higher education has helped create an inclusive environment where women’s safety benefits from a relatively open-minded citizenry. This culture of security was reinforced by the city’s early leadership in the BPO and tech sectors, which introduced strong safety protocols for women working non-traditional hours decades ago. As the city continues to expand rapidly, these protections must evolve to meet the demands of a growing urban landscape. Still, the city’s history of integrating highly educated women into the workforce provides a strong foundation for its reputation as one of India’s safer urban centres.
Pavitra Shankar, business woman