People pay tribute to the legendary broadcaster who became BBC’s “The Voice of India”

Tributes poured in after veteran BBC journalist Sir Mark Tully died aged 90, a day after he was cremated in the Indian capital Delhi.

Hundreds of people, including friends and family, gathered at Lodi Crematorium to say their final farewells to the broadcaster.

Sir Mark is widely Known as the BBC’s “Voice of India” He is one of the most respected foreign journalists of his generation.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi described Sir Mark as “a distinguished voice in journalism”, adding that “his connection with India and the people of our country is reflected in his work”.

Mourners lined up around Sir Mark’s body at the crematorium on Monday afternoon.

His body was wrapped in white cloth and placed on a platform above a bed of rose petals and tuberoses. Marigold garlands and garlands were placed on top.

Before the body is cremated, Christian priests recite prayers and sing hymns.

Sir Mark, who died while undergoing treatment at a Delhi hospital on Sunday, was described as a “chronicle of modern India”.

During his decades-long career, he covered major historical moments that defined the trajectory of South Asia, including the Indian army’s attack on the Sikh Golden Temple, the birth of Bangladesh, Pakistan’s period of military rule, the Tamil Tiger insurgency in Sri Lanka and the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.

In 1992, while covering the demolition of the Babri Masjid by Hindu hardliners, he faced threats from mobs and was locked in a room for several hours before a local official and a Hindu priest came to his aid.

Journalist Satish Jacob worked closely with Sir Mark at the BBC for almost two decades and later co-wrote a book with him. He said he first met Sir Mark on a flight in 1978 and the encounter “marked the beginning of a friendship that lasted 48 years”.

In a personal tribute, Jacob recalled one of his fondest memories of his friend, which was the night India won the 1983 Cricket World Cup.

“The match had been going on for over 30 minutes and we were celebrating the victory on the terrace on a warm summer night in June while our old Delhi mohalla (local) was celebrating the victory,” he wrote on Facebookadding that he soon heard Sir Mark’s distinctive voice shouting: “Hum jeet gaya!” – meaning “We win”.

“Mark stood outside my house with a bottle of our favorite whiskey in his hand, dancing in the street to celebrate India’s victory.”

Author and historian William Dalrymple called Sir Mark “a giant among journalists and the greatest Indian pro of his generation”.

Dalrymple wrote in a post on

Senior journalists and academics from across India also spoke of Sir Mark’s influence on them and the impact of his reporting.

Political scientist Pratap Bhanu Mehta in indian express “There was a joke in the past that all Indians have ‘Sir Mark memories'”. Mehta was a high school student when Sir Mark reported on the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. He recalled that Sir Mark’s cables became “the only voice of what was happening in Indian history” when there was little reliable information.

“Only the controlled desperation with which Sir Mark spoke each night provided a coherent picture of what was happening. His speech was soft and rhythmic, but paradoxically the horrors he described became more vivid,” he added.

Veteran journalist Coomi Kapoor said: “During decades reporting for the BBC, he was India’s most recognized and trusted broadcast voice at a time when the only real alternative was the fully government-controlled All India Radio.” wrote.

Journalist Shekhar Gupta recalls that his mother did not accept the fact that Dhaka fell in December 1972 until she heard on the BBC.

This is a belief shared by millions of Indians, including former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. He said he would not have believed his mother Indira was murdered by Sikh bodyguards until he turned on his shortwave radio and heard the BBC confirming the news.

The Times said: “Like Kashmiri militants and Afghan jihadists, he is as familiar to ordinary villagers as he is to senior ministers in Delhi, so familiar that the guards of one of them only allow him to stroll through the front door.” wrote in his obituary.

Sir Mark was born in Calcutta, British India, in 1935 and spent most of his life in that country.

He was knighted in the 2002 New Year Honors list for services to broadcasting and journalism. He was also awarded two of India’s highest civilian awards – the Padma Shri and the Padma Shri – an unusual honor for a foreigner.

Additional reporting by Jugal Purohit, BBC Hindi

Follow BBC India News Instagram, Youtube, X and Facebook.