Sourav Ganguly, Dilip Tirkey join mourners as Dr. Vece Paes is laid to rest

Dr. Vece Paes, an Olympic bronze medallist and pioneering sports medicine expert, was laid to rest on Sunday as former India cricket captain Sourav Ganguly and Hockey India president Dilip Tirkey joined scores of mourners in his funeral procession.

In a poignant moment, young players lined up on either side of the road and raised their sticks to pay their last respects while his hearse made its way into the Maidan tent. Officials of Hockey Bengal, the oldest association for the sport in the country, were also present.

His son Leander Paes was inconsolable, even as Ganguly joined some officials in comforting the tennis legend by placing his arms around him and offering words of support in his hour of grief.

The mass was held at St Thomas’ Church, Middleton Row.

Among those present were former India cricketer Arun Lal and Trinamool Congress leader Derek O’Brien, who joined the bereaved family, friends and members of the sporting fraternity in bidding farewell to the player who was part of the Indian team that won the bronze medal at the 1972 Olympics.

The funeral services were followed by the interment at the Lower Circular Road Cemetery on AJC Bose Road.

At the graveside, flowers were laid and candles lit, creating an atmosphere that was filled with emotion.

His final journey began with a stop at the Hockey Bengal tent where Tirkey was present to pay his last tributes.

Flags of his former club East Bengal, from where he started his journey, and Mohun Bagan, with whom he won nine Beighton Cup titles, and Hockey Bengal were draped over the coffin.

City-based industrialist Noomi Mehta, who had once played rugby alongside Paes at the Calcutta Cricket and Football Club, was also seen consoling the tennis legend.

Paes, who died on Thursday at the age of 80 due to age-related illness and Parkinson’s disease, was remembered as an all-round sportsman — a midfielder in hockey, a rugby international, and an eminent sports medicine expert in the country.

Tirkey described Paes as an incredible figure who has contributed immensely as a player as well as sports medicine specialist.

“Dr. Paes’ absence will always remain in the hearts of sports fans, sports fraternities, and many other hockey players. As a player, as a doctor, he has supported the players a lot,” Tirkey told PTI Videos.

“During the camp, he used to stay with the team, take care of the players, treat them, for many years, free of cost.

“As far as I am concerned, personally I saw him from close quarters during the Athens Olympics in 2004,” he recalled.

Tirkey hailed Paes’ contribution to Indian sport and for playing a pioneering role in bringing scientific methods into player management.

“Today we are talking about sports science, and how players can advance in sports through this.

“But doctor brought this in many years ago, and used to pay attention to this. Today, you are seeing the result of this.” “In Indian sports, for the first time, we saw from one family, father and son winning Olympics medals — Dr. Paes in hockey and then Leander in tennis. His mother was also the Indian basketball team captain. So it was a complete sports family.” Paes has also served as the president of the Indian Rugby Football Union from 1996 to 2002.

“Dr. Paes’ absence will always be there. And we will never forget his contribution to hockey and the players and sports in general,” Tirkey added.

After retiring as a player, Paes devoted himself full-time to sports medicine, serving as consultant with the BCCI, Asian Cricket Council, All India Football Federation and the Indian Olympic Association, besides travelling with the Indian Davis Cup team.

A graduate from the Nil Ratan Sircar Medical College in Kolkata, Paes was celebrated not only for his sporting feats but also for his relentless contribution as a doctor, administrator and a fierce advocate against age-fraud and doping.