The city bid a tearful farewell to Dr. Vece Paes, an Olympic bronze medallist and pioneering sports medicine expert, during a moving funeral procession on Sunday. Former India cricket captain Sourav Ganguly and Hockey India president Dilip Tirkey joined thousands of mourners, including young hockey players who raised their sticks in tribute as Paes’s hearse passed through the Maidan tent. Paes, who passed away on Thursday at 80 due to age-related illness and Parkinson’s disease, left an indelible mark on Indian sports.
The mass at St Thomas’ Church on Middleton Row was attended by luminaries like former cricketer Arun Lal, Trinamool Congress leader Derek O’Brien, and city industrialist Noomi Mehta, who once played rugby with Paes. His son, tennis legend Leander Paes, was visibly emotional, with Ganguly offering comfort during the somber proceedings. The interment followed at Lower Circular Road Cemetery, where flowers and candles created a poignant atmosphere.
Paes’s coffin, draped with flags of East Bengal, Mohun Bagan—where he won nine Beighton Cup titles—and Hockey Bengal, reflected his storied legacy. Tirkey hailed Paes as a towering figure, noting his contributions as a hockey midfielder, rugby international, and sports medicine pioneer. “Dr. Paes brought scientific methods to player management decades ago,” Tirkey told PTI Videos, recalling his selfless care during the 2004 Athens Olympics. “His absence will forever be felt.”
Also Read: Tributes Pour in for Dr. Vece Paes, Sporting Legend
A graduate of Nil Ratan Sircar Medical College, Paes served as a consultant for the BCCI, Asian Cricket Council, All India Football Federation, and Indian Olympic Association, and traveled with the Davis Cup team. He championed anti-doping and age-fraud measures, leaving a lasting legacy. His family’s sporting prowess—his Olympic hockey medal, Leander’s tennis bronze, and his wife’s basketball captaincy—made them India’s first Olympic medal-winning family.
Also Read: Tributes Pour in for Dr. Vece Paes, Sporting Legend