Mark Tully, the voice that defined an era of journalism, remembered by Yusuf Jameel

Mark Tully Sahab, a towering figure in broadcast journalism, a legacy in his own right, a celebrated writer and a rare symbol of integrity, kindness and deep human empathy, passed away at a hospital in New Delhi. His demise signals the close of an era.

For generations across India, Pakistan and the broader South Asian region, Tully’s distinctive voice was the BBC. It conveyed authority without arrogance, empathy without sentimentality and clarity without compromise. His reporting shaped public understanding of the subcontinent for decades, and his storytelling became a benchmark for journalistic excellence.

On a personal note, he was consistently gracious to me — a true mentor, a steady source of counsel and a lasting inspiration. His understanding of Kashmir, my own reporting beat, was deep and layered. Few outsiders grasped the region as perceptively as he did, and even fewer approached it with such sensitivity and fairness.

With his passing, journalism loses one of its most principled practitioners — a storyteller who believed in truth without theatrics, courage without spectacle and compassion without compromise.

His legacy remains a guiding beacon for those who see journalism not simply as a career, but as a calling. I will miss Tully the way one misses great elders — rare individuals whose presence shapes not only one’s professional journey but also one’s worldview.

His composed, unmistakable cadence carried authority without a trace of arrogance, empathy without sentimentality and a clarity that never softened the truth.

His reportage defined how the world perceived the subcontinent for decades, and his storytelling established a standard that few have ever equaled. His resignation from the BBC on July 10, 1994, after thirty years of service, was more than a career move. It marked the conclusion of a distinctive chapter in global journalism — one grounded in curiosity, humility and the conviction that stories must serve the public, not institutions.

His absence leaves a void that cannot truly be filled, yet his legacy continues to light the way for those of us who still believe journalism is a vocation rooted in truth and humanity.

[Yusuf Jameel is a veteran journalist, columnist and recipient of the CPJ International Press Freedom Award (1996)]