India's first successful cotton mill was set up in:

The first successful modern cotton textile mill in India was set up in Bombay (now Mumbai) in 1854 by Cowasji Nanabhai Davar, a Parsi businessman. It was called the Bombay Spinning and Weaving Company, and it started production in 1856. This marked the beginning of the modern cotton textile industry in India.

An earlier attempt was made in 1818, when a cotton mill was set up at Fort Gloster, near Calcutta (Kolkata). However, it was not successful.

Why Bombay became the centre of the cotton industry:

• It was close to the cotton-growing areas of the Deccan plateau (black cotton soil of Maharashtra and Gujarat).
• It had a major port for importing machinery from Britain and exporting cloth and yarn.
• Its humid climate helped in spinning, as the cotton threads did not break easily.
• It had capital from wealthy Parsi, Gujarati and other merchants, and a large supply of labour.
• Railways linked Bombay with the cotton-growing interior.

The cotton textile industry grew rapidly after the 1870s. Mumbai became known as "Cottonopolis" of India. Later, Ahmedabad developed as a major centre and became known as the "Manchester of India" (or "Manchester of the East"), with its first mill set up in 1861 by Ranchhodlal Chhotalal.

Facts about the cotton textile industry:

• It is one of the oldest and largest industries of India and a major employer after agriculture.
• India is one of the largest producers of cotton in the world.
• Gujarat and Maharashtra are the leading cotton-growing states.
• Other centres include Coimbatore (the "Manchester of South India"), Kanpur ("Manchester of the North"), Solapur, Surat and Indore.
• The industry declined in Mumbai after the long textile strike of 1982-83.

Why not the other options?

• ✗Ahmedabad's first mill came in 1861.
• ✗Kanpur became a textile and leather centre later.
• ✗Kolkata (Fort Gloster) had an earlier attempt in 1818 that failed.