"If Pranab Mukherjee had stayed in the Congress and become prime minister, he would have saved the party."
The comment came from eminent painter Jogen Chowdhary, the first recipient to be invited to stay in Rashtrapati Bhavan under the new artist-in-residence scheme, and also a Trinamool Party-nominated Rajya Sabha member.
Chowdhary, 75, who moved into Rashtrapati Bhavan last week, said he has known the president for a long time and long admired his political acumen. The artist, considered one of the most important contemporary Indian artists, well known for his "crosshatch" style, is painting a picture of the president that he intends to present to him.
A regular at the Parliament, unlike other celebrity nominees — "I must have attended 20 of the 30 days that Rajya Sabha has been in session"— Chowdhary has been making caricatures of politicians which he has also shared to the president.
Rashtrapati Bhavan, under its present incumbent, has seen a number of new developments. The artist-in-residence scheme, launched in December last year, is the latest of these, designed to "encourage established as well as young and upcoming writers and artists" by facilitating their stay in the picturesque and serene surroundings of Rashtrapati Bhavan. Four individuals — two writers and two artists — have been selected to be artist-in-resident by a panel of eminent personalities in the sphere of culture and an announcement is due shortly.
"This is an honour and shows that the president is giving importance to art. It is a progressive step," said Chowdhary, speaking to the media at the Mughal Gardens inside Rashtrapati Bhavan where he had set up his easel.
This is Chowdhary's second stint at Rashtrapati Bhavan, where he worked from 1972 to 1987 as keeper of art, responsible for maintaining its art collection. "The collection is large and valuable, including portraits of governor generals and viceroys. There is also Thomas Hickey's portraits of Tipu Sultan's family. Then there are several early prints of Indian historical monuments done by European artists, which had been languishing. I started the accession register for artworks in Rashtrapati Bhavan," said Chowdhary.
Chwodhary had also painted a portrait of then president VV Giri, a painting that now hangs near the state corridor. "The president gave sitting for seven days, sitting dutifully for half-an-hour every morning for the portrait," said Chowdhary.
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