
Olympics bronze medalist Indian hockey legend Vece Paes passes away
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Indian Express
27 minutes ago
- Indian Express
Olympics hockey medallist and father of tennis player Leander Paes, Dr Vece Paes, dies at 80
Former Indian hockey player Dr Vece Paes, father of tennis star Leander Paes, passed away at the age of 80 at a private hospital in Kolkata on Thursday. Dr Paes was admitted to the hospital on Tuesday with multi-organ dysfunction due to lower respiratory tract and gastrointestinal tract infections. According to the hospital, he had been under its home care services for the past ten months as a long-term patient of Parkinson's disease, and had been bed-bound for an extended period. 'Despite the best medical efforts, Dr Paes breathed his last in the early hours of August 14, 2025,' the hospital said in a statement. Born in Goa in 1945, Dr Paes studied a pre-medical course at Presidency College in Kolkata from 1964-65, and had earlier attended La Martiniere College in Lucknow. He began his medical practice at NRS Medical College and Woodlands Hospital in the 1960s. A member of the Indian hockey team that won bronze at the 1972 Munich Olympics, Dr Paes also played football, cricket, and rugby, and served as president of the Indian Rugby Football Union from 1996 to 2002. In addition, he worked as a medical consultant with the Asian Cricket Council, the Board of Control for Cricket in India, and the Indian Davis Cup team. Family sources said his last rites will be held on Monday or Tuesday, as the family is waiting for the arrival of his daughters from abroad. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed condolences on social media: 'Saddened by the demise of Dr Vece Paes, member of the bronze medal winning team at the 1972 Olympic Games. His contribution to hockey and sports medicine will be remembered. My condolences to his family, including Leander, his friends and the members of the many clubs of Kolkata he was associated with.' Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly Suvendu Adhikari also posted: 'It is with a heavy heart I received the sad news of the passing of Dr. Vece Paes, a true icon of Indian sports and an Olympic Bronze Medallist in Hockey at the 1972 Munich Games. Dr Paes, who left us at the age of 80, was not only a stellar athlete but also a pioneering Sports Medicine Expert whose contributions shaped Indian sports.' 'As the father of tennis legend Leander Paes, he was part of a rare father-son duo who both won Olympic medals, bringing immense pride to our nation. His work with the Asian Cricket Council, BCCI, and the Indian Davis Cup team, along with his leadership as President of the Indian Rugby Football Union, left an indelible mark on sports administration and medicine. I mourn the loss of this remarkable soul whose legacy will continue to inspire generations,' Adhikari continued in his post.


News18
37 minutes ago
- News18
West Bengal CM Mamata expresses grief at hockey legend Vece Paes demise
Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], August 14 (ANI): West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed grief over the loss of hockey legend and Olympic bronze medalist Vece Paes, saying that 'his contribution to hockey and sports medicine will be remembered". Indian hockey legend and Olympic bronze medalist Vece Paes, also the father of tennis legend Leander Paes, passed away on Thursday morning. The official X of Hockey India (HI) announced his unfortunate demise at the age of to X, West Bengal CM wrote, 'Saddened by the demise of Dr Vece Paes, member of the bronze medal winning team at the 1972 Olympic Games. His contribution to hockey and sports medicine will be remembered. My condolences to his family, including Leander, his friends and the members of the many clubs of Kolkata he was associated with."


Indian Express
an hour ago
- Indian Express
R Ashwin on Tim David: ‘I shouldn't say this…told the decision makers of a few IPL teams to pick him'
Australian power-hitter Tim David has been in sublime form in T20Is. In the Caribbean, he managed to pull off a blistering ton, and in the first T20I against South Africa in Darwin, he pulled Australia out of trouble by scoring a substantial 83-run innings, which helped his team win the game. Earlier in the year, David was also part of the Indian Premier League-winning side Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Coming down the order, David played crucial knocks throughout the season and helped RCB nick off close games. Former Indian off-spinner R Ashwin claimed that he did flag a few franchises about David. 'I shouldn't say this, but I told the decision makers of a few IPL teams to pick him before the last auction. They all said, 'No, his game has dropped off drastically.' I believe the future of T20 cricket is going to be having tall batters with long levers and strong build. They are going to rule the roost if there are no changes brought to the wide line,' Ashwin said on his YouTube channel. 'A player RCB picked up at base price (₹3 crore) has taken his game to the next level. It's good to see Australia sending him up the order. A real steal for RCB,' Ashwin added. Intriguingly, David was seen wielding an SS Ton blade marked in the name of West Indies colossus Andre Russell who retired from international cricket after the previous T20I between the sides. 'I've spent a lot of time working on power hitting, but now I'm working on my shot selection. I've been carrying that Dre Russ bat around for a year, and it felt like it was the best time to use it,' David said at the post-match presentation ceremony after century in West Indies in the 3rd T20I. 'Was just having a great time in the middle playing for Australia. It was nice to have a period at home and get my body right. I didn't think I would get the opportunity to get a hundred for Australia, so I'm stoked,' David added.