Journalist and Padma Bhushan awardee Mark Tully passes away at 90
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New Delhi: Veteran journalist and acclaimed author Mark Tully, often regarded as a chronicler of India, passed away at a private hospital here on Sunday at the age of 90 due to multi-organ failure, hospital authorities said.
Tully had been unwell for some time and was admitted to Max Super Speciality Hospital, Saket, on January 21 under the care of the nephrology department, a hospital source told PTI.
In a statement, the hospital said, “Max Super Speciality Hospital, Saket, confirms with deep sadness the passing of Mr William Mark Tully on January 25, 2026, at 2:35 pm. The cause of death was multi-organ failure following a stroke. Our thoughts and heartfelt condolences are with his family, loved ones, and all those affected by his passing.”
Veteran journalist and close friend Satish Jacob told PTI, “Mark passed away at Max Hospital Saket this afternoon.”
Born in Calcutta (now Kolkata) on October 24, 1935, Tully served as the chief of bureau for the BBC in New Delhi for 22 years. He was also the presenter of the BBC Radio 4 programme Something Understood and contributed to numerous documentaries on topics ranging from India and the British Raj to the Indian Railways.
Tully was knighted in 2002 and awarded the Padma Bhushan by the Government of India in 2005. He authored several books on India, including No Full Stops in India, India in Slow Motion, and The Heart of India.
His career at the BBC saw him cover many historic episodes in post-Independence Indian history, including the Bangladesh war of 1971, the Emergency of 1975–77, the execution of former Pakistan president Zulfikar Ali Bhutto in 1979, Operation Blue Star, the assassination of Indira Gandhi and the anti-Sikh riots of 1984, the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi in 1991, and the demolition of the Babri Masjid in 1992.
Operation Blue Star and the Punjab problem were also the subject of Tully’s first book, Amritsar: Mrs Gandhi's Last Battle (1985), co-written with Satish Jacob.
With PTI inputs