1972 Olympic hockey bronze medallist Dr Vece Paes passes away

Dr. Vece Paes, a member of India’s bronze medal-winning men’s hockey team at the 1972 Munich Olympics, a pioneer in sports medicine, and father of tennis great Leander Paes, passed away on Thursday morning in Kolkata. He was 80.

The former Olympian, who had been battling advanced-stage Parkinson’s disease, was admitted to a city hospital on Tuesday. His last rites will be held on Monday or Tuesday, as the family awaits the arrival of his daughters from abroad.

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Born in Goa in April 1945, Paes was a gifted midfielder whose agility, game sense and tireless work ethic helped India secure bronze at the Munich Games. His achievement placed him among the country’s hockey elite during a transitional phase after its golden era of dominance.

A multi-talented sportsman, Paes also played divisional-level football, cricket and rugby. His deep passion for sport led him to serve as president of the Indian Rugby Football Union from 1996 to 2002, during which he worked to expand the game’s reach in India.

Parallel to his playing career, Paes trained as a doctor in Kolkata and went on to become one of the country’s foremost authorities in sports medicine. Combining his medical expertise with firsthand athletic experience, he was uniquely equipped to address the physical and mental demands faced by elite athletes.

He served as a medical consultant to several top sporting bodies, including the Asian Cricket Council, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), and the Indian Davis Cup tennis team. A respected advocate for clean sport, he was also active in anti-doping education, helping shape policies and awareness across disciplines.

Paes’s passing marks the end of a remarkable chapter in Indian sport, one that blended on-field excellence with transformative work off it.

Reacting to his demise, Hockey India president and former India captain Dilip Tirkey said, “It is a sad day for us. 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.”