New Delhi, March 6 (IANS): The "In-Residence" programme for 2015 for writers and artists will be held at Rashtrapati Bhavan from March 7 to 21, an official statement said on Thursday.

The writers selected for the programme are Vikram Sampath and Gayatribala Panda and the artists are Rajesh P. Kargutkar, a painter from 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 and also visit historical places, museums and art galleries.

The "In-Residence" programme for writers and artists was launched in December 2013 with a view to encourage senior artists as well as young and upcoming talent by facilitating them to 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, the statement added.