M.I.A performs in India for first time

Fans of Sri Lankan singer-songwriter M.I.A were treated to her first ever live performance in India as part of a major new event.

M.I.A took to the stage with ethnic Kerala percussionists at the Parade Ground as part of the Kochi-Muziris Biennale.

The 37-year-old star - who has performed with the likes of Rihanna and Madonna and earned an Oscar nomination for her songwriting for the film Slumdog Millionaire - put in a memorable performance and thanked the crowd for "making this dream come true".

After performing with a 45-strong drumming ensemble led by "chenda" drummer Panamanna Sasi, she was then accompanied by her backing group of two dozen accompanists who sang and played keyboards, bass drum and the saxophone.

M.I.A has a distinctive chanting style and her music fuses elements of electronica, dance, hip-hop and world music.

Her performance in India was made all the more atmospheric as the crowd was encouraged to throw LED toy helicopters into the air that had been distributed by M.I.A's street team, the glowing lights reflecting off fluorescent rotors as they descended through the Kerala sky.