MAM
Sir Mark Tully (1935–2026): The voice that told India’s story to the world falls silent
New Delhi: For over half a century, to hear the calm and measured cadence of Sir Mark Tully was to hear the heartbeat of India. Today, that voice, once the most trusted source of news for millions across the subcontinent, has fallen silent. Sir Mark Tully, the legendary BBC Bureau Chief and peerless chronicler of South Asia, passed away at a hospital in New Delhi at the age of 90.
His death marks the end of an era in international journalism. He leaves behind a legacy that bridged the gap between the British Raj into which he was born and the modern, vibrant India he chose as his home.
A witness to the making of a nation
Born in Tollygunge, Calcutta, in 1935, Tully was a child of the Raj who evolved into one of its most insightful critics and most devoted admirers. His father was a prominent British businessman, and his mother was born in Bengal with roots stretching back generations.
Immediately after World War Two, at the age of nine, Tully was sent to Britain for his education. He studied history and theology at Cambridge and then headed to theological college with the aim of being ordained as a clergyman. However, both he and the church eventually had second thoughts. He was brought up with an English nanny who once chided him for learning to count by copying the family driver, telling him it was the “servants’ language.” Ironically, he eventually became fluent in Hindi, a rare achievement in Delhi’s foreign press corps that endeared him to many as “Tully sahib.”
Returning to India with the BBC in 1965, initially as an administrative assistant, Tully did not just report on the country; he lived it. Over three decades, he became the primary witness to the region’s most turbulent and defining moments. During the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War, his reporting was so vital that he became a household name in Dhaka. He covered war, famine, riots, and the execution of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, bringing the vibrancy and diversity of the country to audiences in the UK and around the world.
When Indira Gandhi declared the Emergency in 1975, Tully was expelled from India at 24 hours’ notice. Yet, he returned 18 months later with a deeper resolve and remained based in Delhi for the rest of his life. In 1984, during Operation Blue Star and the subsequent assassination of Indira Gandhi, his voice on the shortwave radio was the only steady source of information for a nation in trauma. It was the BBC that scooped the news of the assassination hours before official government sources.
Peril in Ayodhya and the fight for secularism
In 1992, in the small north Indian city of Ayodhya, Tully faced a moment of real peril. He witnessed a massive crowd of Hindu hardliners tear down the ancient Babri Masjid mosque. Some of the mob, suspicious of the BBC, threatened him and chanted “Death to Mark Tully.” He was locked in a room for several hours before a local official and a Hindu priest came to his aid.
The demolition provoked the worst religious violence in India for decades. Years later, Tully described it as the gravest setback to secularism since India’s independence in 1947. He remained a staunch advocate for the secular culture of India, stating in 2016 that it was really important to treasure the secular culture of the country and that we must not endanger this by insisting on Hindu majoritarianism.
The philosophy of “No Full Stops”
Tully’s journalism was defined by a rejection of the Western lens. He famously resigned from the BBC in 1994 after a much publicized speech accusing the then director general, John Birt, of running the corporation by “fear.” He felt the organization was shifting toward corporate priorities that stifled the soul of reporting.
As an author, his books became essential reading. In “No Full Stops in India” and “India in Slow Motion,” he argued against the imposition of Western standards on a culture that moved to its own ancient rhythms. He was never an armchair correspondent; he travelled relentlessly across India and neighboring countries, by train when he could, and was as comfortable wearing an Indian kurta as in a shirt and tie.
Extraordinary contributions and recognition
His life was a rare example of a person being honored by both the land of his birth and the land of his heritage.
Knighthood (KBE) in 2002: Awarded for his services to broadcasting and journalism. He described the award as “an honour to India.”
Padma Shri (1992) and Padma Bhushan (2005): India’s high civilian honors, reflecting the deep respect he commanded across the political spectrum.
Overseas citizen of India: Late in life, he became an OCI, proudly stating he was a citizen of the two countries he felt he belonged to, India and Britain.
Cultural bridge: He hosted the BBC Radio 4 program “Something Understood” for years, exploring spiritual and ethical themes that had engaged him since his student days.
Literary impact: Books like “Amritsar: Mrs. Gandhi’s Last Battle” and “Upcountry Tales” reflected his deep engagement with rural north India and the moral complexities of the country.
Tributes and the final departure
Following the news of his passing, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed deep grief on social media, highlighting the journalist’s profound connection to the nation:
Saddened by the passing of Sir Mark Tully, a towering voice of journalism. His connection with India and the people of our nation was reflected in his works. His reporting and insights have left an enduring mark on public discourse. Condolences to his family, friends and many admirers.”
Saddened by the passing of Sir Mark Tully, a towering voice of journalism. His connect with India and the people of our nation was reflected in his works. His reporting and insights have left an enduring mark on public discourse. Condolences to his family, friends and many…
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 25, 2026
Jonathan Munro, Interim CEO of BBC News, noted that as a pioneer of foreign correspondents, Sir Mark opened India to the world. In his final years, Tully lived unostentatiously in Nizamuddin, South Delhi, with his partner and collaborator, Gillian Wright. He remained a familiar figure at the India International Centre, forever a student of the land he had spent three quarters of his life documenting.
A legacy beyond the airwaves
The true measure of Sir Mark Tully was not found in the awards he received or the world leaders he interviewed, but in the trust he earned from the ordinary Indian citizen. To millions who huddled around shortwave radios in remote villages, Tully Sahib was more than a journalist; he was a window to the truth when the curtains were drawn shut.
He understood that India is not a problem to be solved, but a mystery to be lived. He leaves us with the reminder that there are indeed no full stops in India, only the continuous, sprawling story of a people he loved with all his heart. As the sun sets over the monuments of Delhi tonight, the silence left behind by his departure is heavy, but the echoes of his integrity, his warmth, and his unwavering pursuit of the truth will resonate for generations to come. India has lost a son, and the world has lost its most eloquent bridge.
Brands
Adobe CEO Shantanu Narayen to step down after 18 years in role
Board begins CEO search as Narayen prepares to move to chair role
SAN JOSE: After nearly two decades at the helm, Adobe’s long-serving chief executive Shantanu Narayen is preparing to pass the baton.
The company announced that Narayen will transition from his role as chief executive officer once a successor is appointed, ending an 18-year run that reshaped Adobe from a boxed software seller into a global cloud and AI powerhouse. He will remain chair of the board following the leadership transition.
Adobe’s board has formed a special committee to oversee the succession process, led by lead independent director Frank Calderoni. The committee will evaluate both internal and external candidates.
“Shantanu’s leadership has been instrumental in Adobe’s transformation and in positioning the company for the AI-driven era,” Calderoni said in a statement. “As we begin the next phase of succession planning, our focus is on identifying the right leader for the company’s next chapter while ensuring a smooth transition.”
In a note to employees, Narayen described the moment not as a farewell but as a pause for reflection after a long journey with the company.
“I love Adobe and the privilege of leading it has been the greatest honour of my career,” he wrote, adding that he will continue to work closely with the board over the coming months to ensure a seamless leadership change.
Tributes from the technology industry quickly followed the announcement. Microsoft chairman and chief executive officer Satya Nadella congratulated Narayen on what he described as a “legendary run” at Adobe.
“Congrats Shantanu, on a legendary run at Adobe! You’ve built one of the most important software companies in the world, and expanded what’s possible for creators, entrepreneurs, and brands everywhere,” Nadella wrote on LinkedIn.
“What has always stood out to me is the empathy you’ve brought to the creative process and the example you’ve set as a leader. Grateful for your friendship, mentorship, and for all you’ve done for Adobe and for our industry.”
Narayen’s career at Adobe spans nearly three decades. He joined the company in 1998 as vice president and rose steadily through the ranks before becoming chief executive officer in December 2007.
During that time, he orchestrated one of the most significant reinventions in the software industry. In 2013, Adobe made the bold decision to abandon traditional boxed software sales and move its flagship creative tools such as Photoshop to a subscription-based Creative Cloud model. The shift initially rattled investors but ultimately transformed Adobe into a predictable recurring revenue business and a case study in digital reinvention.
Narayen also pushed Adobe beyond creative tools into the world of marketing technology and data-driven customer experience, spearheading acquisitions such as Omniture and Marketo. Those moves helped build Adobe’s digital experience division and broaden its reach far beyond designers and photographers.
The numbers tell the story of that transformation. When Narayen took over in 2007, Adobe generated roughly $3 billion in annual revenue. Today the company reports more than $25 billion. Over the same period, its workforce expanded from around 3,000 employees to more than 30,000.
In recent years, Narayen has steered Adobe into the generative AI era with the launch of Adobe Firefly, aiming to keep the company ahead in a rapidly evolving creative technology landscape.
Born in Hyderabad in 1963, Narayen studied electronics and communication engineering at Osmania University before moving to the United States for a master’s degree in computer science from Bowling Green State University. He later earned an MBA from the Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley.
Widely regarded as one of Silicon Valley’s most steady and effective leaders, Narayen has earned multiple honours during his career, including India’s Padma Shri in 2019.
For Adobe, the upcoming leadership change marks the end of a defining chapter. For Narayen, however, the story is far from finished. As he told employees, the company’s next era of creativity, powered by AI and new digital workflows, is only just beginning.
