Veteran British-Indian Journalist and Author Mark Tully Passes Away at 90 in New Delhi

New Delhi: Veteran journalist and author Sir Mark Tully, widely respected for his decades-long coverage of India and South Asia, died on Sunday at the age of 90. Tully passed away in a private hospital in New Delhi, where he had been receiving treatment for a prolonged illness, friends and colleagues confirmed.

Tully, a British-Indian journalist whose voice became familiar to generations of listeners, spent more than two decades as the BBC’s bureau chief in New Delhi, reporting on some of the most significant political, social and historical events in the region. His work ranged from coverage of South Asian conflicts to deep-dive portrayals of India’s evolving society.

Born in old Calcutta (now Kolkata) on October 24, 1935, Tully’s career with the British Broadcasting Corporation spanned around 30 years, during which he became one of the corporation’s most recognizable foreign correspondents. He was also known for presenting programs such as BBC Radio 4’s Something Understood and for writing extensively about the subcontinent.

Throughout his career, Tully received numerous honours for his contributions to journalism and literature. He was knighted in 2002 for his services to broadcasting and was awarded India’s Padma Bhushan in 2005 in recognition of his efforts to deepen international understanding of Indian life and culture.

Tully’s books, including 'No Full Stops in India', 'India in Slow Motion' and 'The Heart of India', reflected his nuanced insights into the complexities of Indian society, politics and history, earning him admiration on both from India and outside.

His death was met with tributes from journalists, writers and public figures who remembered him as a thoughtful storyteller whose work transcended borders. Tully’s legacy is likely to endure through both his reporting and his many books that chronicled decades of change in South Asia.