The Indian state of Madhya Pradesh includes the city of Indore. It is the largest city in the state and is the administrative headquarters of the Indore District and Division. It is considered the education hub of the state, with campuses of the Indian Institute of Technology and the Indian Institute of Management. The city lies on the southern edge of the Malwa Plateau, making it the highest elevation of major cities in Central India.
The city has a total population of 2,170,295 people living within its city limits and surrounding areas. Of these, 1,042,385 people are women, while 944,029 are men. The city's interior population comprises 1,020,057 people, with a mix of women and men. The population is evenly split between Christians, Muslims, Hindus, and Sikhs.
The city was first settled in the 18th century, on the route of the Narmada River. Indreshwar Tempe (1741) was built by local landowners. During the British Raj, Indore served as the capital of the Maratha Holkar state and was the home of the British Central India Agency. Since then, the city has become an important financial center of Madhya Pradesh and houses the Madhya Pradesh Stock Exchange.
A study by the City Mayor Foundation, a global think tank on urban affairs, ranked Indore as the 32nd fastest growing city in the world. It is the commercial center of Madhya Pradesh and is home to hundreds of large-scale industrial and manufacturing units. This city is one of the fastest-growing cities in India. Despite its small size, Indore is booming in several industries, including pharmaceuticals, electronics, and software.