Jogen Chowdhury to make portrait of President

Artist Jogen Chowdhury, who is the first artist-in-residence at Rashtrapati Bhavan, is making a realistic portrait of President Pranab Mukherjee as a personal gift to him.

"I am in the process of making a portrait of the president using his photograph," Chowdhury told reporters here.

"I haven't informed him about this, but I want to gift it to him personally," he added.

Kolkata-based Chowdhury is the first artist to stay at Rashtrapati Bhavan under the "in-residence scheme for writers and artists".

For someone who hates to make portraits, this will be his second one of an Indian president.

Chowdhury served as the "Keeper of Art" at the Rashtrapati Bhavan for 15 years, and during this stint he made a portrait of India's fourth president, V.V. Giri.

"Portraits are done for every outgoing president. I am not commissioned to make a portrait of Pranab Mukherjee, but I am doing it out of respect and appreciation," he said.

He hopes the portrait will be more realistic, as he said he has tried "new techniques" to make sure it doesn't look like a replica of a photograph.