When Rajesh Sah Jaiswal shared his dream to become a policeman, his parents were disheartened. They had valid reasons—Jaiswal’s elder brother Mukesh was already a policeman and the country was going through an insurgency. They wanted him to do something else.
But, a stubborn Jaiswal did not think twice. And, today, it has made him a model of good governance as he has been chosen as one of the five Integrity Icons Nepal 2022.
Making the dream materialise
Jaiswal says he used to get fascinated by his brother’s police uniform and the respect he got from the public always inspired him to join the police. “To die or not is all about fate, I wanted to serve the nation. The government job would secure my future. For my happiness and future, allow me to be in the police force,” Jaiswal remembers saying to his parents.
But, his parents were worried that the rebel party (the Maoist party) would kill their son if he joined the police.
Yet, Jaiswal decided to apply. In the first attempt, Jaiswal failed a qualification test due to a minor scar on his skin. He applied some ointment to get rid of that and waited for the new application window.
This time, he easily got selected.
The nation was preparing for the second people’s movement (2006) then and Maoists were joining the peace process.
Yet, as a policeman, Jaiswal was ready to do anything for the country. He did not have any kind of fear because it was his dream job. He was ready to fight if the country would face war again. But, nothing happened as he expected.
Instead, he served thousands of people. Today, Jaiswal feels proud of his decision to join Nepal Police.
The proud moment
Accountability Lab has announced Jaiswal as an excellent servant to the public. This has made him happier and more proud.
His parents, who did not want him to join the police force then, are also equally proud of him.
For the last six years, Constable Jaiswal has been deployed at the Provincial Hospital in Malangawa, Sarlahi. His performance in the hospital made him receive the Integrity Icon Nepal-2022.
Usually, the general public is reluctant to interact with the police. But his polite and generous nature changed the public’s perception towards the police.
From the beginning, he has been helping the service seekers to collect the fund for treatment and manage food for them. He is also helping the hospital administration to manage unidentified bodies. “It is my duty to help those who are in trouble,” says Jaiswal. “And, I will never stop doing this.”
For Jaiswal, Integrity Icon Nepal 2022 is not just his award; it belongs to the entire organisation of the Nepal Police, which he believes is also equally proud and encouraged by the award.
His efforts during the Covid pandemic, to manage the patients and the entire hospital, are notable. It was a time of crisis when the hospital did not have equipment for anyone. However, it did not stop him from fulfilling his responsibilities. He was seen helping the infected people get ambulances.
“I felt it was the most crucial time to serve the needy ones,” says Jaiswal.
Journey to Integrity Icon Nepal-2022
Jaiswal, born in 1986, comes from a middle-class family. He joined the police service in 2007 and got promoted in 2019.
This year, among 410 names, the jury selected five persons, including Jaiswal, for Integrity Icon Nepal-2022.
Surya Nath Upadhyay, a former chief commissioner of the Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority, led the jury. The other members of the committee were governance expert Kashi Raj Dahal, former secretary Jivan Prabha Lama, former executive director of Nepal Administrative Staff College Punya Prasad Neupane and professor Sacheta Pyakurel.
According to Suresh Chand, an associate program director of Accountability Lab, the key objective of Integrity Icon Nepal is to promote responsible and accountable civil servants and to reduce the public’s resentment towards government services.
Integrity Icon first began in 2014. Currently, it is organised in 15 countries including Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Liberia, Mali, Mexico, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Nigeria and others.
Accountability Lab will honour the Integrity Icon Nepal-2022 on December 24. Along with Jaiswal, the others to receive Integrity Icon Nepal-2022 are Kalpana Adhikari, Mohan Krishna Maharjan, Roshani Devi Karki, and Sujan Kumari Bardewa.
This story was translated from the original Nepali version and edited for clarity and length.
