The writers and artists in-Residence programme at Rashtrapati Bhavan will be held from March 7 to 21, 2015.
The writers selected include Vikram Sampath, a writer in the English language and Gayatribala Panda, a writer in Odiya language.
Sampath's book "My name is Gauhar Jaan" won both the Sahitya Akademi's Yuva Puraskar in 2012 and the ARSC International Award for excellence in Historical Research in New York.
Panda won the 2011 Kendra Sahitya Akademy Yuva Puraskar for her poetry collection 'GAAN'. She has also received the state youth Award for poetry in 2000.
The artists selected for the programme include Rajesh P. Kargutkar, a painter based in Mumbai and Haobam Sanaton Singh, a painter from Manipur.
During their stay at Rashtrapati Bhavan, the artists and writers will interact with office bearers of Sahitya Akademi, Lalit Kala Akademi, National Gallery of Modern Art, prominent artists and writers etc. and also visit historical places of Delhi, museums, art galleries etc.
The 'In-Residence' Programme for writers and artists was launched by the President of India on December 11, 2013 with a view to encourage senior artists as well as young and upcoming talent by facilitating them stay close to nature in the picturesque and serene surroundings of Rashtrapati Bhavan. The Programme seeks to provide an environment which will inspire creative thinking and rejuvenate artistic impulses.
Applications had been invited online to select upcoming and established writers/artists for the writers and artists in residence Scheme, 2015. A total of 179 applications were received out of which four were selected by a high level committee headed by Secretary to the President.
Jogen Chowdhary, MP (Rajya Sabha) and Prof. Emeritus of Visva Bharati University, Santiniketan was the first Artist In-Residence. Subsequently, two writers and two Artists In Residence stayed in Rashtrapati Bhavan from 8-26 September, 2014.
