Jennifer Paes, Olympian and mother of Leander Paes, passed away in the city on Sunday morning, the family said.

Jenny, as she was fondly called, was 72. She had been suffering from cancer. She is survived by son Leander and daughters Jacqueline Christina and Maria. Paes lost his father, Vece Paes, on August 14, 2025.

Jennifer, the daughter of Michael Dutton and Ruby Myrtle Nyss, was the great-great-granddaughter of Bengal’s legendary poet Michael Madhusudan Dutt.

She was a member of the Indian basketball team at the 1972 Summer Olympics. She was later made the captain of the national side. She leaves behind a legacy that intertwined Indian basketball, Olympic pride and tennis. She was part of one of India’s most recognised sporting families.

Her (estranged) husband Vece was a member of the India hockey team that won bronze at the 1972 Munich Olympics, while their son Leander went on to win bronze in men’s singles tennis at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, apart from his various achievements in the grand slams and Davis Cup.

The funeral service will be held in the city on Monday.

Bengal chief minister Suvendu Adhikari paid tribute to her on X: “Deeply saddened by the passing away of Smt. Jennifer Paes; Mother of Indian Tennis legend Leander Paes. A former Captain of the Indian Basketball team & Olympian, her immense contribution to Indian Sports and her legacy will always be remembered. My heartfelt condolences to Leander Paes and the entire family in this hour of grief.”