Olympic medallist, sports medicine pioneer Vece Paes passes away at 80
Paes, father of tennis great Leander, had been under treatment at a city hospital since Tuesday owing to complications arising out of long-standing Parkinson's disease and age related issues.
He was 80.
As per a statement from the hospital, Paes was admitted "with multiorgan dysfunction due to lower respiratory tract and gastrointestinal tract infections". Paes was a medical practitioner at this hospital in the 1960s.
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Bengal Hockey Association officials informed that the funeral would be held on Monday, after his brother and daughters arrive from the US.
The Goa-born Paes earned his medical degree at the Nil Ratan Sircar Medical College in Kolkata, which subsequently became his home.
The hockey midfielder achieved the high point of his career when he earned an Olympic bronze at the 1972 Munich Games as a member of the Indian team. The previous year, he was part of the team that won bronze in the Barcelona World Cup.
Leander has often said that it was this bronze that motivated him to reach the heights in tennis. The senior Paes, in fact, had a significant role to play in his son's career. He relived the 1972 Olympic moment in 1996 when Leander won a bronze at the Atlanta Games.
Incidentally, Paes' former wife and Leander's mother Jennifer is a former captain of the national basketball team.
After he quit the game, Vece Paes became a full-time sports medicine specialist. Various organisations like the Board of Control for Cricket in India, the Asian Cricket Council, the All India Football Federation and the Indian Olympic Association had involved him as a sports medicine consultant.
He had also travelled with the Indian Davis Cup team as the doctor.
Apart from that, he had been associated with various clubs and sports bodies from time to time, including East Bengal where he had assisted Bhaichung Bhutia among others. His work towards anti-doping awareness and education has been lauded.
Apart from hockey, Paes was passionate about rugby and was also the president of the Indian Rugby Football Union from 1996 to 2002. He also played cricket and football at the divisional level.
A multi-faceted personality, Paes leaves behind a legacy in Indian sport that will be forever remembered.
Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee was among the first to send condolences on his death. "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," she posted on X.
Hockey India president Dilip Tirkey, former hockey players Ajit Pal Singh, BP Govinda, Viren Rasquinha, tennis ace Sania Mirza were among those who paid their tributes.
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