Veteran journalist and renowned broadcaster Mark Tully passed away in New Delhi

90-year-old veteran journalist Mark Tully passed away on 26 January, 2026 in New Delhi. Mark Tully was born on 24 October, 1935 in Kolkata.

• On 26 January, 2026, veteran journalist and renowned broadcaster Mark Tully passed away at the age of 90 in New Delhi. Mark Tully was born on 24 October, 1935 in Kolkata. He joined the BBC in the 1960s and worked for more than two decades as its India correspondent and then as bureau chief in New Delhi.
• He was widely regarded as the BBC’s "Voice of India" and was one of the most admired foreign correspondents of his generation.
• India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi described Sir Mark as "a powerful voice of journalism" and said that "his connection with India and the people of our country was reflected in his work."

Mark Tully’s career

• Over a career spanning several decades, Sir Mark reported on major historic moments that defined South Asia’s course, including the Indian Army’s attack on the Sikh Golden Temple, the birth of Bangladesh, periods of military rule in Pakistan, the Tamil Tigers’ insurgency in Sri Lanka, and the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.
• In 1992, while reporting on the demolition of the Babri Masjid by Hindu extremists, he faced threats from a mob and was locked in a room for several hours, after which a local official and a Hindu priest came to his aid.
• It was the trust of millions of Indians, including former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, who had said that he would not believe that his mother, Indira, had been killed by her Sikh bodyguards until he heard confirmation of it from the BBC on his short-wave radio.
• Born in 1935 in Calcutta in British India, Sir Mark spent most of his life in the country.

Honours of Mark Tully

• He was awarded a knighthood in the New Year Honours List of 2002 for services to broadcasting and journalism. He also received two of India’s highest civilian awards – the Padma Shri and the Padma Bhushan – which is an unusual honour for a foreign national.

Former Indian football team defender Iliyas Pasha passed away

• On 22 January, 2026, former Indian football team defender and East Bengal legend Iliyas Pasha passed away at the age of 61 in Bengaluru, Karnataka. He was born in 1964 in Bengaluru, Karnataka.
• He began his career in Bengaluru and played as a disciplined right wing-back, known for his tactical awareness.
• International: He made his debut for India against Bulgaria in the Nehru Cup on 27 January, 1987 in Kozhikode (Kerala) and played eight matches, including the Nehru Cup (1987, 1991), SAF Games (1991), and Asian Cup Qualifiers (1992).
• Domestic: He started with Vinayaka Football Club and Indian Telephone Industries, represented Karnataka in the Santosh Trophy (1987–1989), and later won the title with Bengal in 1993 and 1995.
• East Bengal: Joining East Bengal in 1990, he captained the team in 1993-94, was part of the club’s golden era (1990-1998), and won several titles including the Calcutta Football League, Indian Football Association Shield, Durand Cup, Federation Cup (1996), Super Cup (1996-97), and Y Y Cup (1993).
• From 1987, he became a regular player for Karnataka in the Santosh Trophy, representing the state in tournaments held in Kolkata in 1987, Quilon (now Kollam) in 1988, and Guwahati in 1989.

Former BCCI chief Bindra passed away

• Former President of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the Punjab Cricket Association (PCA), Inderjit Singh Bindra, passed away on 25 January, 2026 after a long illness. He was 84 years old.
• Bindra, who played an important role in ushering in a new era of cricket marketing in India, was President of the BCCI from 1993 to 1996.
• He was also President of the Punjab Cricket Association for more than three decades, from 1978 to 2014. In view of his contributions, in 2015 the PCA Stadium in Mohali was renamed the I.S. Bindra Stadium.
• Between 2008 and 2010, he was appointed the chief adviser to the ICC’s Chief Executive/President, and he worked as the principal assistant to Sharad Pawar during his tenure at the ICC, which further strengthened India’s influence in global cricket administration.
• He is best remembered for his role in bringing the 1987 World Cup – then known as the Reliance Cup – to India.
• This was the first time that this global event was held outside England after the 1975, 1979 and 1983 editions.
• He achieved this feat together with his close friend the late Jagmohan Dalmiya and the then BCCI chief NKP Salve, and it opened the Indian television market to new possibilities of cricket marketing.
• One of his most lasting legacies in Punjab cricket was the construction of an international-standard stadium in Mohali – an idea he conceived in the early 1990s and personally pursued. In recognition of his contribution, in 2015 the PCA Stadium was renamed the IS Bindra Stadium.
• In 1994, Bindra approached the Supreme Court to break Doordarshan’s monopoly in cricket broadcasting. The favourable verdict of the Supreme Court helped Bindra and his team bring global companies like ESPN and TWI into the Indian market, which soon became the largest market in the world.