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Hans India
4 days ago
- Sport
- Hans India
Olympic hockey legend Dr Vece Paes passes away
The 1972 Munich Olympics hockey bronze medallist and father of tennis icon Leander Paes, Dr Vece Paes, has passed away in Kolkata at the age of 80. He was suffering from an advanced stage of Parkinson's disease. Born in Goa in April, 1945, Dr Paes was exceptional in both sports and academics. Beyond his athletic achievements, he was also a doctor of sports medicine and served as president of the Calcutta Cricket and Football Club. His son, Leander Paes, often spoke of his father's influence and inspiration in shaping his own sporting career, particularly his passion for representing India at the Olympics. In addition to hockey, he showed his skills by playing divisional cricket, football, and rugby. His love for rugby led him to become the president of the Indian Rugby Football Union from 1996 to 2002. An unshakeable pillar of Indian sports, the 80-year-old Dr Paes leaves behind a legacy of achievement both in and out of competition, motivating countless athletes and sports admirers. Hockey India on Thursday mourned the sad demise of Dr Vece Paes, the charismatic midfielder from the golden era of Indian hockey. 'It is a sad day for us in Hockey India. The passing of Dr Paes draws curtains on a great era of hockey. The Olympic medal in Munich is a testament to their grit and determination. I had the good fortune of meeting him a few times and I have always been inspired by his passion for sports in general. He was a great advocate of inculcating sporting culture in the country. 'We at Hockey India express our deepest condolences to his wife Jennifer, son Leander and their whole family. We stand together in their grief,' expressed Dilip Tirkey, president of Hockey India. Hockey India secretary general Bhola Nath Singh too expressed his deepest condolences, and said, 'On behalf of Hockey India, we extend our deepest condolences to Leander, his mother and their family. His achievements in sports and sports science will always be remembered and his legacy will live on forever.'
New Indian Express
5 days ago
- Sport
- New Indian Express
Olympic bronze-winning hockey legend Dr Vece Paes passes away at 80
KOLKATA: Dr Vece Paes, a member of the 1972 Munich Olympic Games bronze-winning Indian men's hockey team and father of legendary tennis player Leander Paes, died here on Thursday morning owing to age-related ailments. He was 80. Paes, who was also suffering from Parkinson's disease, was admitted to the Woodlands Hospital here on Tuesday morning. His last rites will be performed either on Monday or Tuesday, as the family will wait for the arrival of his daughters, who are both settled abroad. He was married to Jennifer, a former India basketball team captain. Paes, who donned multiple hats in his long association with Indian sports, was a mid-fielder in the Indian hockey team. He also played several other sports such as football, cricket and rugby at the divisional level and served as the president of the Indian Rugby Football Union from 1996 to 2002. Born in Goa in April, 1945, Paes was exceptional in both sports and academics and following his successful stint with hockey, he became a sports medicine doctor.
News18
5 days ago
- Sport
- News18
Olympic bronze-winning hockey player Dr Vece Paes passes away
Agency: PTI Kolkata, Aug 14 (PTI) Dr Vece Paes, a member of the 1972 Munich Olympic Games bronze-winning Indian men's hockey team and father of legendary tennis player Leander Paes, died here on Thursday morning owing to age-related ailments. He was 80. Paes, who was also suffering from Parkinson's disease, was admitted to the Woodlands Hospital here on Tuesday morning. His last rites will be performed either on Monday or Tuesday, as the family will wait for the arrival of his two daughters, who are both settled abroad. He was married to Jennifer, a former India basketball team captain. Paes, who donned multiple hats in his long association with Indian sports, was a mid-fielder in the Indian hockey team. He also played several other sports such as football, cricket and rugby at the divisional level and served as the president of the Indian Rugby Football Union from 1996 to 2002. Born in Goa in April, 1945, Paes was exceptional in both sports and academics and following his successful stint with hockey, he became a sports medicine doctor. He went on to work as a consultant with several sports bodies including the Asian Cricket Council, the Board of Control for Cricket in India and the Indian Davis Cup team. Paes was also a member of the Indian hockey team that won a bronze medal at the 1971 World Cup in Barcelona but the Olympic medal a year after that was the biggest moment of his career. The 1972 edition of the Games is tragically also remembered for the massacre of 11 Israeli athletes by a Palestinian militant group which forced a four-day shutdown of the showpiece. After bidding adieu to his hockey career, Paes served as the team doctor of the Indian Davis Cup team for a decade and was also Leander's manager. Leander's initiation into tennis was on his father's push. Leander took Indian tennis to great heights, becoming the most successful player in the country's history by winning 18 Grand Slam titles, including eight men's doubles and 10 mixed doubles crowns. Leander also won the men's singles bronze at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, thus keeping the family tradition alive of winning a medal at the quadrennial showpiece. He became the first Asian male tennis player to be inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame. Hockey India president and former defender Dilip Tirkey said, Paes senior's demise has ended a glorious era of the sport in the country. 'It is a sad day for us in Hockey India. The passing of Dr Paes draws curtains on a great era of hockey. The Olympic medal in Munich is a testament to their grit and determination. 'I had the good fortune of meeting him a few times and I have always been inspired by his passion for sports in general. He was a great advocate of inculcating sporting culture in the country. 'We at Hockey India express our deepest condolences to his wife Jennifer, son Leander and their whole family. We stand together in their grief," said Tirkey. Paes also played for the hockey teams of Kolkata football giants Mohun Bagan and Mohammedan Sporting during the '70s and '80s. He worked with East Bengal football team and players like Bhaichung Bhutia as well on the insistence of the club's then coach Subhas Bhowmick. Paes was also one of the prominent voices of Kolkata's vibrant Anglo Indian community. Another Indian tennis icon Sania Mirza said Paes' contribution to Indian sports is unmeasurable and he was always approachable. 'I have known Dr. Vece Paes for almost a quarter century. He was the Indian Team Doctor in the 2002 Busan Asian Games and worked regularly with the national team at Asian Games, Commonwealth Games and Olympics over the years. 'Having been a world-class hockey player, himself, he understood the psyche of a professional athlete and that helped him in diagnosing and treating his sporting patients," Mirza said. 'A thorough gentleman and a proud Indian, Uncle Vece will be sorely missed not only by the tennis players but by the entire sporting fraternity of our country. May God give Leander and his family the strength to bear the irrepairable loss," she added. PTI SCH AT KHS DDV AM SSC AT AT PTI) view comments First Published: Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Indian Express
5 days ago
- Health
- 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.
Mint
5 days ago
- Sport
- Mint
Vece Paes dies: Condolences pour in for 1972 Olympics Indian hockey bronze medallist & father of Leander Paes
A member of the bronze medal-winning Indian hockey team and father of tennis legend Leander Peas, Vece Paes breathed his last on Thursday at the age of 80. Vece, who was suffering from advanced stage of Parkinson's disease, was admitted to a city hospital on Tuesday morning. Born in 1945 in Goa, Vece donned several hats in Indian sports. He played as a midfielder in the Indian hockey team and also participated in several other sports like football, cricket and rugby. He had also served as the president of the Indian Rugby Football Union from 1996 to 2002. Beides being an active sportsperson, Vece studied sports medicine in Kolkata and worked as a medical consultant with several sports bodies including the Asian Cricket Council, the Board of Control for Cricket in India and the Indian Davis Cup team. Vece's death has left the sporting fraternity in shock. Former Indian hockey captain Viren Rasquinha thanked Vece for his contribution. 'Very sad to hear of the passing of Dr. Vece Paes. He was a midfielder with the team that won the bronze medal at 1972 Munich Olympics. An amazing Sports Physician, he was team doctor when I played at Athens 2004. Incredible human being. RIP Doc. Thank you for everything,' he wrote. Former India cricketer and coach of senior national women's team, WV Raman also expressed his condolences. 'Extremely sad to hear about the passing away of Dr Vece Paes, the soft spoken Olympic medal winner. Had the privilege of working with him for #CAB. Heartfelt condolences to @Leander and other family members..#RIP Doc..,' Raman wrote. Hockey India remembed Vece and said his legacy will live on. 'Dr. Vece Paes, a true sports icon, sadly passed away this morning. His achievements on and off the field inspired generations. As a member of the 1972 Munich Olympics bronze-winning team, he made India proud. His legacy will live on,' wrote Hockey India on social media.
