In 1674–75, a printing press had been brought to the island of Bombay for the first time. In the fifth session of the All India Library Conference in Mumbai in 1942, K. M. Munshi claimed that this printing press had been sold to Bhimji Parekh by Shivaji. However, no evidence was found to support this claim. Correspondence between Bhimji Parekh and the East India Company indicate that Bhimji had imported the press on his own initiative. In a letter from Surat to the East India Company dated 9 January 1670: