Dr Vece Paes (80), a member of the bronze-winning Indian hockey team at the 1972 Olympics and father of tennis legend Leander Paes, died in the early hours of Thursday.
Following a protracted battle with illness, Dr Paes' physical condition deteriorated on Wednesday—reportedly due to multiple organ failures—due to which he was advised by doctors to be admitted to the hospital. He died in the early hours of the morning with Leander by his side, as per a News18 report.
Born in April 1945 in Goa, Dr Vece Paes excelled in a range of sports.
During his stint as a midfielder for the Indian hockey team, the young squad—featuring players like Ashok Kumar (son of hockey legend Dhyan Chand) and veteran Harbinder Singh—secured a bronze medal at the 1972 Munich Olympics: the team's tenth consecutive medal.
This formidable team was coached by K.D. Singh, captain of the 1952 Olympic-winning Indian hockey team, and managed by two-time Olympic gold medallist Keshav Dutt.
However, Dr Paes' prowess was not limited to hockey alone. He also showcased his versatility in divisional cricket, football, and rugby. His passion for rugby even led him to serve as the president of the Indian Rugby Football Union from 1996 to 2002.
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Off the field, he used his expertise in medicine to play an important role in sports medicine, making many valuable contributions to the field, especially in his anti-doping education programmes with the Asian Cricket Council and the BCCI.
He is survived by his wife Jennifer, his son Leander (a tennis legend, who has often mentioned his father's role in shaping his sports career), and an incredibly inspiring legacy.
