Vece Paes, Olympic hockey bronze medallist, passes away

Dr. Vece Paes, a 1972 Munich Olympics bronze medallist in hockey and father of 1996 Olympics bronze medallist and tennis great Leander Paes, passed away early on Thursday following a prolonged illness at a local hospital. He was 80 and had been suffering from an advanced stage of Parkinson’s disease. He is survived by his wife, son and daughter.

A rare blend of medical expertise and sporting excellence, Dr. Paes was born in 1945 in Goa. An energetic centre-half whose career overlapped with that of 1975 World Cup-winning captain Ajitpal Singh, he began playing hockey at the school and college level. Still a medical student when he earned his place in the Indian team, he made his international debut at the Hamburg International Cup in 1966. He also turned out for leading clubs, including Mohun Bagan and East Bengal.

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.”

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 💔 pic.twitter.com/fGGraJ7EW5 — Viren Rasquinha (@virenrasquinha) August 14, 2025

“Vece made his debut when I was the captain. He was a great team-man and played different sports, including cricket, football and rugby. We played together for Mohun Bagan for 13 years and won nine Beighton Cup and nine Calcutta League titles. He was well-built and had the energy to go up and down the field. It’s unfair that he was not selected for the 1968 Olympics, but he got his chances in the 1971 World Cup (where India bagged a bronze) and 1972 Olympics,” his long-time friend and 1964 Olympics gold medallist Gurbux Singh said.

Leander Paes is greeted by his father, Vece Paes (right), and the then All India Tennis Association president R.K. Khanna after winning the bronze medal at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. | Photo Credit: The Hindu

“Vece was soft spoken and a fine gentleman. I cannot compare him with any doctor. If he gave medicine to someone, he would sit with the person and wait to see how the medicine worked.”

Dr. Paes was not only a medical doctor but also a respected sports science expert, lending his expertise to his illustrious son and to leading athletes across tennis, football and cricket. He served as a medical consultant to both the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the Indian Davis Cup team, and his exemplary work in managing anti-doping education programmes for the BCCI and the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) earned wide recognition.

He once remarked, “Talent is an overrated thing... If you do your 10,000 hours from the age of 12, you will hit your peak in your 20s. You have to work hard.”

A familiar presence at all Hockey Bengal events, including the historic Beighton Cup in Kolkata, Dr. Paes remained deeply connected to the sport he loved until illness forced him to step back.

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