New Delhi | 25.1 | Rayat Samachar
(Rip news) Sir Mark Tully, former BBC India Bureau Chief, senior journalist, and author who honestly presented Indian society, politics, and the lives of ordinary people to the world, passed away on January 25 at a private hospital in New Delhi. He was 90 years old. The information was shared by his colleague Satish Jacob. With his passing, a sensitive, fearless chapter of international journalism – one that shared a deep emotional bond with India – has come to a close.
(Rip news) Mark Tully was not merely a foreign correspondent; he was a journalist who understood India from within and explained it to the world. For several generations, Tully became a voice of India and is regarded as a representative of the “gold standard” era of BBC journalism. His reports on the iconic BBC radio programme From Our Own Correspondent were especially known for their accuracy, restraint, and deep observation. At that time, the media was more responsible and trustworthy, and the global credibility of the BBC was strengthened largely because of journalists like Tully.
(Rip news) Born in Kolkata in 1935, Mark Tully transformed his curiosity about understanding India into a lifelong journalistic pursuit. Political upheavals, social struggles, religion, rural realities, and the issues of ordinary people in India formed the core of his journalism. After the Emergency was imposed in India in 1975, foreign journalists were ordered to leave the country, and Mark Tully was among them. However, his bond with India was so strong that after 18 months he returned and began reporting Indian realities with even greater intensity and depth.
He reported fearlessly yet with balance on sensitive and politically volatile issues such as the Emergency period, instability in Punjab, the Sikh movement, and Operation Blue Star. Rather than merely reporting events, he consistently presented to the world the country, society, and collective mindset behind those events. Free from being confined within corridors of power, the lived realities of ordinary Indians – their problems and aspirations – formed the true strength of his journalism.
Even after retiring from the BBC, he did not leave journalism. As an independent journalist and author, he wrote several acclaimed books on India. No Full Stops in India, The Heart of India, India in Slow Motion, and Amritsar: Mrs Gandhi’s Last Battle are still considered works that capture the pulse of India. Through books such as From Raj to Rajiv and Non-Stop India, he powerfully portrayed not only centres of power but also the lives of common people.
Sir Mark Tully’s journalism inspired many to see and understand India. Numerous listeners and readers in Britain have said that listening to Tully’s reporting since their teenage years drew them toward India. The sentiments expressed by British citizen Nick Balmer are a representative example. Balmer noted that Tully’s precise and compelling reporting inspired him to travel to India in 1978 and sparked a desire to see in person the places from where Tully had reported. He also recalled how the credibility of the media and the stature of the BBC were far higher in those days compared to today.
Despite being a foreigner, he was held in immense regard across different sections of Indian society. The tributes, memorial articles, and reactions appearing in Indian media today stand as testimony to his work. “I may be British by birth, but Indian at heart,” he often said – and his work consistently reflected this belief.
With the passing of Sir Mark Tully, the world has lost not just a journalist but a reliable bridge between India and the world. Through his writing, reporting, and perspective, India’s story will continue to reach global audiences. In the history of Indian journalism, his name will always be remembered with respect, reference, and gratitude.
October 31, 1984, remains one of the most shocking days in Indian history. Mark Tully’s name is recorded in history as the journalist who was among the first to report to the world the assassination of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. The commentary he delivered at that moment is still cited as an example in journalism curricula.
A video showcasing Mark Tully’s reporting style is still available today, revealing the composure, clarity, and journalistic excellence in his voice.
Video link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bt9g30evQvs
(To watch Sir Mark Tully’s video, scan the QR code.)
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