Former India basketball captain and 1972 Olympian Jennifer Paes leaves behind a remarkable sporting legacy that shaped one of India’s most celebrated sports families.
Indian sport lost one of its respected former athletes on Sunday as Jennifer Paes passed away at the age of 72 after battling cancer. Best known to many as the mother of tennis legend Leander Paes, Jennifer’s own contribution to Indian sport was equally significant.
A member of India’s basketball team at the 1972 Summer Olympics, Jennifer later went on to captain the national side and became a respected figure in Indian basketball. Fondly known as “Jenny” among close friends and family, she was admired for her discipline, warmth and unwavering support for sport.
Her passing marks another heartbreaking moment for the Paes family. Jennifer’s husband, Vece Paes, who was part of India’s bronze medal-winning hockey squad at the 1972 Munich Olympics, passed away in August 2025. Together, the couple inspired one of India’s greatest tennis careers through their son Leander, the 1996 Atlanta Olympics bronze medallist and multiple Grand Slam winner.
Jennifer also carried a rich cultural legacy. She was the great-great-granddaughter of renowned Bengali poet Michael Madhusudan Dutt, linking literature and sport through her family history.
Tributes poured in from across the sporting fraternity after news of her demise emerged. Political leaders and former athletes remembered her as a pioneering sportsperson who represented India with pride and grace. West Bengal leader Suvendu Adhikari described her contribution to Indian sport as “immense” in a condolence message shared online.
Jennifer is survived by her son Leander and daughters Jacqueline Christina and Maria. Her funeral service is scheduled to be held in Kolkata on Monday.
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