Martyred soldier Rajesh Orang’s classmates, seniors and teachers at his alma mater have decided to pay tributes to the deceased by donating blood to meet the scarcity faced by blood banks since the outbreak of Covid-19.

Malay Mondal, the headmaster of Bergram Palli Sevaniketan High School where the Birbhum boy had studied from Class V to VIII, said on Thursday that at least 25 units of bloods would be donated at a camp at the institution on June 26.

“He (Rajesh) was very popular in school for his skills in football and other sports. We all remember him for his skills as a sportsman. At a meeting today (Thursday), we decided to pay tributes to Rajesh in a way that would help fight the blood shortage triggered by the pandemic,” said Mondal.

Rajesh was among the 20 Indian army personnel who were killed in a clash with Chinese troops at Galwan Valley in Ladakh on Monday night.

Hundreds of blood donation camps have been cancelled to avoid mass gathering ever since Covid-19 was reported in the state.

Several hospitals have requested blood donors to organise small camps to boost the stock.

“It has become very tough for us to arrange for blood for patients and the camp will help us. I personally thank them and we hope such an initiative would inspire others,” said Himadri Ari, the chief medical officer of health in Birbhum.

Rajesh had studied at the school, 12km from Santiniketan, when he used to live at his maternal uncle’s house in Parui’s Radhakrishnapur village.

“I can remember Rajesh as a very shy boy but he was unbeatable in sports. So, we have decided to donate blood in his memory,” said Arindam Saha, a classmate of Rajesh who completed his masters’ from Visva-Bharati.

Pratibha Ganguly, a Bengali teacher, said the school would invite the relatives and family members of Rajesh to the blood donation camp.

Nurul Hoque, the secretary of the Birbhum District Voluntary Blood Donors’ Association, said all logistical support would be provided to the school to organise the camp. “It is really a very good initiative by the school and his classmates,” said Hoque.