Kolkata: In tragic news, Olympic hockey bronze medallist and the father of tennis icon Leander Paes, Vece, has passed away at the age of 80. Considered a pioneer in sports medicine, Dr Paes was a big name in Indian hockey and sports medicine alike.
Born in April 1945 in Goa, Paes was a midfielder in the Indian hockey team, and he was also a part of the side that won the bronze medal at the 1972 Munich Olympics. Apart from hockey, he also excelled in cricket, football, and rugby. He played divisional cricket and had a special love for rugby.
His interest in the sport also saw him serve as the president of the Indian Rugby Football Union from 1996 to 2002. As for his excellence in sports medicine, Vece Paes studied medicine in Kolkata and managed to combine his expertise in the field with his love for sports.
His contributions and work with the ACC (Asian Cricket Council) and the BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India), where he managed anti-doping education programmes, have earned some much deserved acclaim. It is worth noting that Paes started to play hockey at the school and college level. He made his India debut at the Hamburg International Cup in 1966.
With the tragic news of Vece Paes’ passing, the Former Captain of the Indian Hockey Team, Viren Rasquinha, took to social media and extended his prayers and thoughts for the legend.
Very sad to hear of the passing of Dr. Vece Paes. He was a midfielder with the Indian hockey 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,” Rasquinha tweeted.
