Last Updated on January 25, 2026 8:00 pm by INDIAN AWAAZ
Staff Reporter / New Delhi
Veteran journalist Mark Tully passed away today after prolonged illness. With his death, broadcast journalism loses one of its most enduring and authoritative voices in South Asia.
From the 1970s through the early 1990s, Mark Tully was a household name across South Asia. As the BBC’s principal representative in the region, he became synonymous with calm, credible, and deeply informed reporting. For millions, his voice explained the subcontinent at moments when history was unfolding in real time.
He was present at defining turning points. From flashing the news of the execution of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto in 1979, to covering Operation Blue Star alongside Satish Jacob, and being the first one reporting on the assassination of Indira Gandhi in 1984, Mark Tully was everywhere, recording history as it happened.
During the demolition of the Babri Masjid, his reporting had shaken whole nation.
Based in Delhi for decades, he believed journalism was about understanding societies, not merely reporting events. That philosophy also shaped his writing. His books, including *Raj to Raj*, *No Full Stops in India*, and *Amritsar: Mrs Gandhi’s Last Battle*, remain essential reading for anyone seeking to understand modern South Asia with nuance and honesty.
Mark Tully’s death marks the end of an era when foreign correspondents were trusted witnesses and interpreters of history. Heartfelt condolences to his family, colleagues, and admirers across the world.