Of the countless voices that have echoed across the Indian subcontinent, few were as unexpected as that of Sir Mark Tully, the BBC correspondent whose gentle, measured tones became synonymous with pivotal moments in modern South Asian history. Long before the internet, before rolling news channels, and well before podcasts gave rise to a new generation of narrative storytellers, Tully’s broadcasts carried across dusty villages and teeming cities alike; they were sometimes re-aired in Hindi, Urdu, Tamil, Nepali and Bengali, so that even those with no access to English could hear his calm narration of events that shaped their lives and futures.
In a crowded room of foreign correspondents, his voice was distinctive not just for its clarity but for its warmth. Colleagues often remarked that Tully didn’t sound like someone reporting on India—he sounded as if he were reporting from within it, a feat underscored by the fact that he achieved a rare level of fluency in Hindi and embraced the country’s rhythms with a curiosity that transcended professional obligation.
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