Sir Mark Tully was a renowned veteran broadcaster who held one of the BBC’s most prominent positions as its “voice of India.” For decades, Tully served as a respected and recognizable foreign correspondent, covering some of the most significant events in modern Indian history. His steady presence and deep familiarity with the country set him apart from his contemporaries.
Tully reported on critical moments such as the Bhopal gas tragedy, political assassinations, and India’s military assault on Amritsar’s Golden Temple during a period of considerable national trauma. In 1992, he narrowly escaped serious harm when a mob destroyed the Babri mosque in Ayodhya, an event that triggered widespread religious violence.
Despite facing threats from angry crowds chanting his name, Tully remained committed to his work and was later honored by India with two of its highest civilian awards: the Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan. He also received a knighthood from Britain for his services to broadcasting and journalism in 2002.
Born in Calcutta (now Kolkata) in 1935, Tully had spent most of his life in India, becoming fluent in Hindi and earning the affectionate title “Tully sahib” among Indians. He joined the BBC’s Delhi bureau in 1965 and eventually became its head, overseeing coverage across South Asia.
Though he was expelled from India during Indira Gandhi’s state of emergency in 1975, Tully returned in 1976 to continue his reporting. In the early 1990s, he publicly criticized the BBC’s leadership for running the organization through fear and resigned soon after. However, he continued contributing to BBC programs like “Something Understood,” which explored faith and spirituality.
Tully was lauded by Jonathan Munro, the BBC’s interim chief executive for news, who described Tully as a pioneer in foreign correspondence who brought India’s vibrancy and diversity to global audiences. The late broadcaster also received honors from both Britain and India, including being made an Overseas Citizen of India, acknowledging his dual allegiance to two countries he considered home.
In his later years, Sir Mark Tully focused on writing books and essays on Indian society and politics, living quietly in south Delhi until his passing at the age of 90.