Sir Mark Tully, BBC Voice of India, Dies at 90

Sir Mark Tully, the British journalist long known as the BBC's voice of India, died today at the age of 90 in New Delhi. He built a career over five decades reporting on some of the biggest events in South Asia, from wars and assassinations to political upheavals, and left a mark on how the world saw India.

Background

Mark Tully was born on October 24, 1935, in Kolkata, then called Calcutta, when India was still under British rule. He spent his early childhood there before his family sent him to England for school. After finishing his studies, he joined the BBC in 1964. A year later, in 1965, he returned to India as its India correspondent. That move started a long stay in the country he would call home for the rest of his life.

Tully quickly rose to become the BBC's bureau chief in New Delhi, a job he held for 20 years. He reported for radio, where his clear voice reached millions of listeners across India and beyond. In a time when state radio controlled much of the news, his broadcasts stood out for straight talk on tough topics. He covered everyday life too, from elections and farmer struggles to spiritual traditions and changing cities.

His time at the BBC was not always smooth. During the Emergency from 1975 to 1977, when Prime Minister Indira Gandhi clamped down on media, Tully was barred from India. He came back after that period and kept reporting. In 1994, he quit the BBC after a row with its director general, John Birt. Tully said the organization had become too secretive and staff were unhappy. After leaving, he stayed in New Delhi as a freelance reporter and broadcaster. He hosted a BBC Radio 4 show called Something Understood until 2019, talking about faith and life.

Tully wrote nine books about India. His first, Amritsar: Mrs Gandhi's Last Battle, came out in 1985. It looked at the events before the army's action at the Golden Temple in 1984. Other books included No Full Stops in India, a set of stories from his reporting, and India in Slow Motion, written with his partner Gillian Wright. These works showed his close feel for the country's people and problems. India gave him the Padma Shri in 1992 and the higher Padma Bhushan in 2005. Britain knighted him in 2002 for his journalism.

Key Details

Tully's reporting covered turning points in India's story after independence. In 1971, he was among the first journalists into Bangladesh after its war for freedom from Pakistan. He reported from there when the fighting ended, which helped build his name. Back in New Delhi, he led coverage of the 1972 Simla summit, where India and Pakistan signed a peace deal. Technical issues were common then; sometimes he sent telegrams because phone lines failed.

Major Events He Covered

He was on the ground for Operation Blue Star in 1984, when troops went into the Golden Temple to remove militants. Months later, he reported Indira Gandhi's assassination and the riots that followed, where thousands of Sikhs died. His team broke the news of her death fast. Tully also covered the 1984 Bhopal gas disaster, the 1991 assassination of Rajiv Gandhi, and the 1992 demolition of the Babri Masjid mosque, which sparked riots across the country.

During anti-Sikh violence in 1984, a mob targeted Tully. They knew his name and voice. He hid in a small temple until Indian colleagues and a local official got him out safely. That showed the risks he faced. He also looked at quieter stories, like bonded labor, political graft, and Sufi practices. In the 1990s, he tracked India's push to modernize and the changes it brought to villages and towns.

His colleague Satish Jacob worked with him for years as deputy bureau chief. Jacob helped with scoops and gave reports an Indian touch, even if London sometimes noted his accent.

"Mark was an extraordinary journalist who chronicled India's history with empathy and insight." – Satish Jacob

Tully loved trains and made programs about them, like one on steam locomotives in India and a journey from Karachi to the Khyber Pass.

What This Means

Tully's death marks the end of an era for foreign reporting on India. His voice was trusted by Indians who tuned in secretly during censorship times. He bridged Britain and India, living in New Delhi with family and keeping strong ties to both places. His son Sam once said Tully's heart was Indian but with some English too.

"I have a lot of affection for India, that is a country worth fighting for as a journalist." – Mark Tully

Young reporters in India saw him as a guide. He stayed active, writing and speaking on the country's shifts, from economic growth to social divides. Without him, coverage of South Asia loses a steady hand who knew the streets and leaders alike. BBC colleagues and Indian media remember him as a friend who spoke plainly. His books and old broadcasts will keep his work alive for new listeners. Tully leaves behind his partner Gillian Wright, children, and a legacy of honest stories from one of the world's most lively places.