Last of His Kind: Mark Tully, Veteran BBC Journalist and Chronicler of Modern India, Dies at 90 After a Lifetime of Literary Legacy

Mark Tully, renowned journalist, author, and one of the most perceptive chroniclers of India, died at a private hospital in New Delhi on Sunday, January 25, 2026. He was 90. Tully had been unwell for some time. 

Image Source: KBalakumar

Born in Calcutta (now Kolkata) on October 24, 1935, to British parents, Tully spent the early years of his childhood in India before moving to the UK for his education. He studied theology at Trinity Hall, Cambridge, and briefly trained for the priesthood before turning to journalism. 

He joined the BBC in 1964 and became its India Correspondent in 1965, a role he held until 1994, including over two decades as the bureau chief in New Delhi.

Over his 30-year career with the BBC, Tully reported on many of South Asia’s defining moments — from the Indo-Pakistan wars to the Emergency, Operation Blue Star, the Bhopal gas tragedy, and the assassinations of both Indira and Rajiv Gandhi. 

He was barred from entering India during the Emergency due to press censorship under Indira Gandhi’s government. A towering figure in foreign reportage on India, Tully became synonymous with an era of ground-level, deeply contextual journalism. 

Sir Mark Tully was an inspirational journalist who made a huge personal and professional contribution telling the story of India to the world. Saddened by his death. May he rest in peace 🙏

Sir Mark Tully, the BBC's 'voice of India', dies aged 90 https://t.co/a5z6U54PMy

— Lindy Cameron (@Lindy_Cameron) January 25, 2026

His resonant voice and informed commentary brought Indian politics, society, and culture into British and global living rooms, establishing him as an authoritative voice on Indian affairs.

Tully’s literary contributions further deepened his connection with India. His books, including No Full Stops in India, India in Slow Motion (co-authored with Gillian Wright), and Upcountry Tales, combined journalistic insight with literary flair, capturing the complexity of a rapidly changing nation. 

He was also a regular presenter of the BBC Radio 4 programme Something Understood and appeared in several acclaimed documentaries, including Great Railway Journeys.

News on loss. Sir Mark Tully, the BBC man in India, died today, aged 90. I photographed him many times over the years—inside his Delhi residence, and outside, elsewhere in the city. pic.twitter.com/92thXtDXOt

— mayank austen soofi—InshaJoyce (@thedelhiwalla) January 25, 2026

Tully received multiple honours in recognition of his work. These included the Padma Shri in 1992, the Padma Bhushan in 2005, and a knighthood (KBE) from the British government in 2002. He was also a BAFTA award recipient and held an Overseas Citizenship of India card.

His work remains a benchmark for foreign correspondence rooted in cultural fluency and human connection.

Also Read: 

A tryst with destiny: Mark Tully's journey from journalism to short stories by Saket Suman in The Week