Renowned Journalist Sir Mark Tully Passes Away at 90 in Delhi

New Delhi: Veteran British journalist and acclaimed author Sir Mark Tully breathed his last on Sunday afternoon at Max Super Speciality Hospital in Saket, Delhi. He was 90.

The news was confirmed by his close friend and fellow journalist Satish Jacob, who said, “Mark passed away at Max Hospital Saket this afternoon.”

According to a hospital report, Tully had been admitted to the nephrology department on January 21 and succumbed to his illness today.

Born on October 24, 1935, in Kolkata, Tully spent his childhood in India before completing his education in England. He returned to the country in 1964 as a correspondent for the BBC and went on to serve as the broadcaster’s New Delhi bureau chief for over two decades until 1994.

Over more than five decades, Tully became one of the most respected chroniclers of modern India. He reported on some of the defining moments of post-Independence history, including the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War, the Emergency (1975–77), Operation Blue Star, the assassinations of Prime Ministers Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi, and the demolition of the Babri Masjid in 1992.

An accomplished author, Tully wrote ten books that offered deep insights into Indian society and politics. Among his most celebrated works are No Full Stops in India, India in Slow Motion, and The Heart of India. He also hosted the popular BBC Radio 4 programme Something Understood and contributed to several documentaries on India, the British Raj, and Indian Railways.

In recognition of his contributions, Tully was knighted by the British government in 2002 and awarded the Padma Bhushan, India’s third-highest civilian honour, in 2005.

Paying tribute, Satish Jacob described him as “an extraordinary journalist who chronicled India’s history with empathy and insight.”

Tully’s son, Sam Tully, had earlier reflected on his father’s unique position on his 90th birthday: “I think my father’s achievements are particularly significant for UK-India ties because of his abiding ties and affection for both countries. While he lives in India, he has powerful connections to the UK as well. ‘Dil hai Hindustani, magar thoda Angrezi bhi!’ The heart is Indian but a bit English too!”

Even after stepping down from the BBC in 1994, Tully continued to live in Delhi as a freelance journalist and remained an astute observer of India’s evolving social and political landscape.

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