Vece Paes and Leander Paes were part of unique feat in Indian sport | More sports News

Leander Paes (L) with his father Dr. Vece Paes (R). (Image: X)

Dr. Vece Paes, former Indian hockey player who won bronze at the 1972 Munich Olympics and father of tennis star Leander Paes, passed away at 80 in Kolkata on Thursday morning after battling advanced stage Parkinson’s disease. He was admitted to a city hospital on Tuesday morning due to his deteriorating health condition.A versatile sportsman, Vece Paes played as a midfielder in the Indian hockey team and was actively involved in multiple sports including football, cricket, and rugby.He served as the president of the Indian Rugby Football Union for six years from 1996 to 2002.Beyond his playing career, Paes worked as a sports medicine doctor and medical consultant with prominent sports organisations including the Asian Cricket Council, the Board of Control for Cricket in India, and the Indian Davis Cup team.Vece Paes’ son Leander also went on to achieve fame at the Olympics, winning a bronze medal at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics in men’s tennis – India’s only medal in the sport. Paes went on to achieve top ranking in men’s doubles and clinched 18 Grand Slam titles in his doubles career. He is also the player to have picked most doubles wins in Davis Cup history.Together, Vece Paes and Leander Paes are a unique combination in Indian sporting history. They are one of six father-son pairings to have represented Indian in the Olympics.Father-son combinations to represent India at Olympics