Bengaluru, Aug 14 The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) and the Karnataka State Lawn Tennis Association (KSLTA) on Thursday mourned the sad demise of Dr Vece Paes, the member of the bronze medal-winning hockey team in the 1972 Munich Olympics and father of Indian tennis legend Leander Paes.
Dr Paes passed away in Kolkata on Thursday morning after he was admitted to Woodlands Hospital late on August 12 with multiorgan dysfunction due to lower respiratory tract & gastrointestinal tract infections. He was 80.
"On behalf of everyone at IOA, expressing our deep sadness on the news of the passing of 1972 Munich Olympic Medalist Dr Vece Paes. Our thoughts and prayers with Leander and family during this incredibly difficult time," IOA shared on X.
An unshakable pillar of Indian sports, Dr Paes leaves behind a legacy of achievement both in and out of competition, motivating countless athletes and sports admirers.
“On behalf of KSLTA, we express our deepest condolences to Leander, his mother Jennifer and the entire family on the passing of Dr Paes. It is indeed a sad day for sports in general as Dr Paes was a great advocate of building a strong sporting culture in the country. He was in the forefront of sports science in the country and his contributions to Indian sports eco system will be remembered forever,” expressed Sunil Yajaman, joint secretary of KSLTA.
“Dr Vece Paes was a dear friend and I personally have learnt a lot from him and I remember many sessions where I have sat and listened to his experience on handling and creating world-class sports persons. He was one of the finest human beings I have met. On behalf of KSLTA Executive Committee, I hope his family will have god’s strength to bear with this irreplaceable loss. It’s a personal loss for me and great loss for the Indian sporting fraternity,” he added.
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. started his medical practice at NRS Medical College and Woodlands Hospital in the 1960s.
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.
He was chairman of the AIFF Medical Commission from 2003 to 2006. He later served as chairman of the AIFF Medical Committee from 2017 to 2020.
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