At which one among the following places did the British East India Company found its factory in the year 1611 ?

The British East India Company established its first factory on the south-eastern coast of India at Masulipatam (also known as Machilipatnam) in 1611 [3]. While the Company had attempted to establish a presence in Surat as early as 1608, opposition from the Portuguese delayed the formal establishment of a factory there until 1613 [3]. In 1611, the English started trading at Masulipatam on the Andhra Coast, marking their entry into the Coromandel region [3]. This location served as a vital center for the textile trade, particularly calicoes. Other major settlements mentioned in the options were founded later: Madras (Fort St. George) was established in 1639, Balasore in 1633, and Bombay was acquired by the Company in 1668 after being received as part of the Portuguese dowry for King Charles II [1].

Sources

1. [3] Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 3: Advent of the Europeans in India > Charter of Queen Elizabeth I > p. 39
2. [1] Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 3: Advent of the Europeans in India > Why the English Succeeded against Other European Powers > p. 57