Former Indian basketball captain and Olympian Jennifer Paes died on May 17 after a battle with cancer. She was 72 and the mother of tennis star Leander Paes.
Jennifer Paes, born Jennifer Dutton, represented India in basketball at the 1972 Munich Olympics and later served as national team captain. She came from a prominent sporting family.
Her husband, Dr. Vece Paes, competed in hockey at the same Olympics and won a bronze medal. He passed away in August 2025. Their son Leander Paes achieved success in tennis, earning a bronze medal at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics and securing 18 Grand Slam titles.
A family source stated that she was a terminally ill cancer patient and died on Sunday. The funeral service took place at St. Thomas Church in Kolkata.