KATHMANDU, Sept 29: Accountability Lab Nepal on Friday awarded five exemplary government officials as Integrity Icons for 2019 amid a function in Kathmandu.
They were awarded under various titles.
Gyanendra Kumar Mishra, a department head under the Ministry of Forest and Environment's Project Facilitation Division was awarded with the title 'Integrity with Courage'.
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Iswar Subedi, Food Investigation Officer at the Department of Food Technology and Quality Control was awarded with the title 'Integrity with Innovation'; Kajiman Rai and chief administrative officer of the Chulachuli Rural Municipality in Ilam received 'Integrity with Action' title. Likewise, Prem Bahadur Darai, a teacher at Shree Bhanu Secondary School in Dumsichaur, Tanahun, was honored with 'Integrity with Inspiration' title whereas Punya Prabha Devkota, a senior Auxiliary Nurse Midwife at the District Hospital in Mugu received the title of 'Integrity with Compassion.'
National Human Rights Commission chairperson Anupraj Sharma conferred the awards. The Lab awards honest government officials every year.
An independent panel of judges headed by former CIAA chief Suryanath Upadhyay had selected the winners following a 'rigorous' selection process.
Among the five, Kajiman Rai, Chief Administrative Officer of Chulachuli Rural Municipality received the highest number of votes from the public and won the “Popular Choice” award.
At the function, NHRC Chairman Sharma expressed hope that the awardees will work as agents of change in society. “When we look at the history, people with integrity have always been the real change-makers,” said Sharma adding, “I look forward to seeing these icons continue their journey as agents of change in our public service.”
Narayan Adhikari, CEO and Co-Founder of Accountability Lab Nepal said the time had come to empower young local leaders in the government and civil society “who can form the vanguard of a new generation of responsible leaders”.
