By 1900, over ______ mills started operating in Bombay.

In 1854, the first cotton mill was established in Bombay. Bombay was close to the vast black soil tract of western India where cotton was grown and it had grown as an important port for the export of raw cotton. Over 84 mills started operating in Bombay by 1900. Most of these mills were established by Parsi and Gujarati businessmen.