By James Rothwell, and agency 7:17PM GMT 10 Jan 2016 In most countries they are the government's unsung heroes, toiling behind the scenes to ensure its laws and policies are implemented properly. But in Nepal civil servants have become the unlikely centre of attention after a TV talent show-style scheme was launched to find the most honest bureaucrat in the country. And after more than 50,000 votes were cast via text message and social media, it this week crowned the district officer Pradip Raj Kandel as Nepal's "Integrity Idol." The unusual contest is in its second year and hopes to to encourage honesty in the corruption-ridden Himalayan nation, where many are often forced to pay bribes for essential services. "I feel proud today and feel that I am representing many hard-working civil servants of Nepal," said Kandel after he was awarded the title - which does not bring any prizes with it. "Initiatives such as this inspire us to be responsible and accountable," he added. He beat four other finalists - a women rights worker, a conservation officer, and two educators - who were shortlisted after non-profit group Accountability Lab Nepal launched a nationwide campaign last April. As the nominations were underway, a devastating earthquake hit the country, killing nearly 8,900 people and leaving thousands homeless. "A lot of money has been directed towards earthquake response, and we hope to see officials who have used those funds correctly to benefit the quake victims among the next finalists," the charity's Nepal representative Narayan Adhikari told AFP. Gyan Mani Nepal, an education official in eastern Panchthar district, was crowned the first Integrity Idol last year. "We want to organise this every year. This initiative aims to reward honest individuals and inspire others to join the civil service," Adhikari added. Nepal is ranked 126th out of 175 countries in anti-graft watchdog Transparency International's global corruption perception index. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/new...