Bangalore is a model city and a glittering example of Indian success

This new report published by the Legatum Institute finds that Bangalore is a model of how a city can bring prosperity to a poor country. However, quality of life problems remind us that, despite being a world leader in the technology industry, there is a long way to go. The report’s author, Harvard University’s Ed Glaeser, asserts that investment in education is the most important factor in making Bangalore one of the most successful cities in the developing world. He goes on to warn that problems of congestion, clean water and sewage need to be addressed in order for Bangalore to thrive.

Because of the importance of the city in India’s development, Glaeser argues that it makes more sense to directly address the challenges of urban growth, such as unclean water and congestion, rather than to artificially constrain the expansion of mega-cities like Bangalore.

The Legatum Institute is proud to publish this insightful study about one of India’s most distinguished cities. Harvard University’s Edward Glaeser considers the historical path that brought this city from a small urban agglomeration during the 1900s to the bustling centre of industry and commerce that it is today. Making Sense of Bangalore draws important conclusions about the city’s future and lessons for other metropolitan areas in today’s rapidly urbanising world.

“Bangalore is a model of how an urban agglomeration can bring prosperity to a poor country.”

Ed Glaeser, extract from Making Sense of Bangalore

The Legatum Institute is an independent, non-partisan organisation that researches and advocates an expansive understanding of global prosperity. Prosperity comprises both material wealth and well-being and includes factors such as liberty, opportunity, security and overall human flourishing.