Jay Z in debut India performance for anti-poverty gig

Rap megastar Jay Z will make his debut performance in India at a music festival to raise awareness about poverty, event organisers said Monday.

The Global Citizen Festival, established in 2012, is intended to highlight the major challenges facing India including sanitation facilities in rural areas and the provision of elementary education.

"The line-up for November's performance includes Coldplay, Jay Z and various Indian artists including Aamir Khan, Amitabh Bachchan among others," Sabbas Joseph from Wizcraft event management company told journalists.

Coldplay lead singer Chris Martin serves as the creative director of the Global Citizen Festival and is responsible for the concert line-up, he added.

The gig will take place in Mumbai with nearly 80 percent of tickets given away, the organisation announced during the launch event that was attended by Hindi screen legend Bachchan and Nelson Mandela's grandson Kweku Mandela.

Bollywood actors Farhan Akhtar, Katrina Kaif and Oscar-winning musician AR Rahman will also perform at the charity event.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi appeared at the festival in 2014 to lend his support to its goals.