Thirteen special athletes took vaccination for Covid-19 at a camp organised by the East Singhbhum district administration on Wednesday.

Jeevika, a special school in Sonari locality, had requested the deputy commissioner Suraj Kumar to organise the camp. A team, including three nurses, completed the formalities in around two hours.

“The vaccination camp was organised very peacefully and without hassles. We thank the district administration for the same. We had requested the deputy commissioner to facilitate vaccination of our students via a letter on May 31,” said Singh, a former international cyclist.

According to him, they decided to get their students vaccinated from a safety point of view. “It was our responsibility to help our students. They took the first dose of Covishield vaccine. District authorities have asked us to contact them after three months for the second dose,” he added.

Besides the 13 students of Jeevika, four ex-special athletes of the school also took the vaccine.

“Some of the students, including Ashutosh Thakur and Tushar Gope, were very afraid of taking the vaccine. They refused to leave their place and were also not allowing us to roll up their sleeves. They co-operated only when we showed them chocolates and later gave them the same after vaccination,” said Jeevika secretary Sukhdeep Kaur.

Kaur said some students who were left out on Wednesday, will get vaccinated during the second camp.

Some students of Jeevika have completed painting and varnishing Diwali diyas.

“The students have so far painted and varnished around 6,000 diyas. We would be ordering some 2,000 more diyas to a potter in Asanboni in East Singhbhum. The students will once again get engaged in work they love the most,” said Jeevika founder Singh.