Short answer: in India, a man counts as tall from 170.3 cm (5′7″) (tallest 20%) and very tall from 178 cm (5′10″) (tallest 3%). For women the thresholds are 158.2 cm (5′2″) and 165.4 cm (5′5″). Averages: men 164.1 cm (5′5″), women 152.4 cm (5′0″).
≥ 170.3 cm
Tall for a man (tallest 20%)
≥ 158.2 cm
Tall for a woman (tallest 20%)
| Men | Women | Percentile band | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Very short | < 150.2 cm (4′11″) | < 139.4 cm (4′7″) | P0–P3 |
| Short | 150.2–157.9 cm (5′2″) | 139.4–146.6 cm (4′10″) | P3–P20 |
| Slightly below average | 157.9–162.2 cm (5′4″) | 146.6–150.6 cm (4′11″) | P20–P40 |
| Average height | 162.2–166 cm (5′5″) | 150.6–154.2 cm (5′1″) | P40–P60 |
| Slightly above average | 166–170.3 cm (5′7″) | 154.2–158.2 cm (5′2″) | P60–P80 |
| Tall | 170.3–178 cm (5′10″) | 158.2–165.4 cm (5′5″) | P80–P97 |
| Very tall | ≥ 178 cm (5′10″) | ≥ 165.4 cm (5′5″) | P97–P100 |
Bands are percentiles among adults of the same sex: shortest 3% "very short", tallest 20% "tall", tallest 3% "very tall" — the same scale as every "Is it tall?" page on this site. Not a medical definition.
In India, men under 157.9 cm (5′2″) are short (shortest 20%) and under 150.2 cm (4′11″) very short (shortest 3%). For women the limits are 146.6 cm (4′10″) and 139.4 cm (4′7″). Short or tall is just a statistical position.
| Percentile | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|
| P1 | 146.9 cm (4′10″) | 136.3 cm (4′6″) |
| P5 | 152 cm (5′0″) | 141 cm (4′8″) |
| P10 | 154.6 cm (5′1″) | 143.5 cm (4′9″) |
| P25 | 159.1 cm (5′3″) | 147.7 cm (4′10″) |
| P50 | 164.1 cm (5′5″) | 152.4 cm (5′0″) |
| P75 | 169.1 cm (5′7″) | 157.1 cm (5′2″) |
| P90 | 173.5 cm (5′8″) | 161.3 cm (5′3″) |
| P95 | 176.2 cm (5′9″) | 163.8 cm (5′4″) |
| P99 | 181.2 cm (5′11″) | 168.5 cm (5′6″) |
Calculate your rank as a man → Calculate your rank as a woman →
Values are cohort-weighted averages for adults aged 18+, derived from NCD-RisC 2020 and UN population estimates; they do not reflect regional differences within a country. Details: methodology and sources.