The Top 5 finalists of ‘Integrity Idol’ have been announced, as the fifth national campaign to identify and celebrate Nepal’s most hon­est government officials enters its final stretch.

The finalists were selected by a panel of esteemed judges from over 1,062 nominations, and the public is now invited to vote for their favorite idol, following a special TV broad­cast on AP1 television detailing the finalists’ commendable works.

Lack of integrity of public offi­cials remains a big challenge in Nepal, and citizens often feel they are helpless to do anything about it. But through Integrity Idol, citizens are able to engage in a positive discussion about these issues and vote for the person they believe has set a good example as a public servant.

The esteemed judges who picked the Top 5 are: Suryanath Upadhyaya, former Commissioner of Commis­sion for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority; Jiwan Prabha Lama, former Secretary of Government of Nepal; Kashiraj Dahal, Chairman of the High Level Administrative Reforms Monitoring Committee; and Punya Prasad Neupane, execu­tive director of Nepal Administrative Staff College.

And now, the real heroes of the event. Here is a low-down of the Top 5.

 Dhruba Raj Acharya, Chief Administrative Officer, Tikapur Municipality, Kailali. After help­ing his municipality emerge from the decade-long civil war, he then worked on bringing political parties of different persuasions together on common national issues.

“I have never worked for praise or reward. The trust I have gained from service-seekers by working responsibly is my biggest reward”

 

 Arun Kafle, Senior Horticulture Development Officer, Khumaltar, Lalitpur, who introduced ‘soil-less’ vegetable farming to Nepal. Kafle is always available to all farmers who need his expertise and he has been tirelessly working to help farmers transition from subsistence to com­mercial farming.

“I feel very happy when I see service-seekers in front of my office. And when they return satisfied and with a big smile, my happiness knows no bounds”

 

 Mahendra Prasad Poudyal,Under-Secretary, Ministry of Youth and Sport, Singhadurbar, Kathmandu. He is very passionate about ensuring the youth’s right to information and has supported many talented youngsters get gov­ernment support to pursue their dreams.

“The hope that future generations will not inherit negative perceptions of the government is what drives me to work harder”

 

 Sita Kumari Sharma, Senior A.N.M., Birendranagar Municipal Health Office, Surkhet. She is a healthcare worker and a true friend of women and teenage girls who need any kind of medical help. She has also been involved in providing health education and distributing medicines in rural communities.

“Women from the community often need me more than my family. Prioritizing their health and serving them is my social responsibility”

 

 Ram Bahadur Kurumbang, Chief District Officer, Bardiya. A retired Nepal Army Officer, Kurumbang leaves the com­fort of his office and goes door to door, ensuring that people, especially those in far-flung places, have a direct access to him.

“By bringing the services to citizen’s doorsteps through our mobile camp, they have felt the presence of ‘Singhadurbar’ in their village”

 

 

 

 

 The winner will be announced on Dec 7 at a public ceremony at Karki Banquet, Babarmahal. To vote for your favorite contestant or to read more about the finalists as well as the campaign, visit http://www.integrityidol.org/countries/nepal/. Viewers can choose their preferred contestant online or via SMS. To vote through SMS, go to the message box in your mobile phone and type IIN <space> Voting Code and send it to 34001. The codes for the finalists are: Arun Kafle-1, Dhruba Raj Acharya-2, Mahendra Prasad Paudyal-3, Ram Bahadur Kurumbang- 4, and Sita Kumari Sharma-5.

(Follow Integrity Idol Nepal on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to keep up with the campaign).