Leander Paes (born 17 June 1973) is an Indian former professional tennis player and one of the most successful doubles players in history. He won 18 Grand Slam titles: eight in men’s doubles and ten in mixed doubles. He won an Olympic bronze medal in singles in 1996 and played at a record seven consecutive Olympic Games. His partnership with Mahesh Bhupathi was nicknamed the “Indian Express”.
Quick Facts
| Full name | Leander Adrian Paes |
| Born | 17 June 1973, Calcutta (now Kolkata), India |
| Age | 53 |
| Sport | Tennis (doubles specialist) |
| Parents | Vece Paes (Olympic hockey medallist), Jennifer Paes (basketball captain) |
| Grand Slam titles | 18 (8 men’s doubles, 10 mixed doubles) |
| Olympics | Bronze, men’s singles, Atlanta 1996 |
| Daughter | Aiyana |
| Honours | Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna (1996–97), Padma Shri (2001), Padma Bhushan (2014) |
Early Life
Paes was born in Kolkata into a sporting family. His father, Vece Paes, won a bronze medal in hockey at the 1972 Olympics, and his mother, Jennifer, captained India’s basketball team. He trained at the Britannia Amritraj Tennis Academy in Chennai. In 1990 he won the boys’ singles titles at Wimbledon and the US Open and became the world’s top junior.
Career
At the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, Paes won bronze in men’s singles. It was India’s first individual Olympic medal since 1952. He went on to compete at seven straight Olympics from 1992 to 2016, a record for a tennis player.
With Mahesh Bhupathi, Paes reached all four Grand Slam doubles finals in 1999, winning the French Open and Wimbledon, and they became the world’s top doubles team. They won the French Open again in 2001. Paes went on to win Grand Slam titles with many partners, including Martina Navratilova, Martina Hingis, Radek Štěpánek and Lukáš Dlouhý, and completed a career Grand Slam in both men’s and mixed doubles. He also holds the Davis Cup record for most doubles wins.
Politics
After retiring, Paes joined the Trinamool Congress in 2021. On 31 March 2026, ahead of the West Bengal Assembly election, he joined the Bharatiya Janata Party, saying he wanted to work for young people and sport.
Personal Life
Paes has a daughter, Aiyana. His partnership and rivalry with Bhupathi was the subject of the documentary series Break Point (2021).
Major Titles
Frequently Asked Questions
When and where was Leander Paes born?
Leander Paes was born on 17 June 1973 in Calcutta (now Kolkata), India.
What honours has Leander Paes received?
Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna (1996–97), Padma Shri (2001), Padma Bhushan (2014).
