Rock star Sting has declared himself something of a Hindu and an addict of India, in an e-mail interview with the Hindustan Times ahead of two concerts.

Sting, aka Gordon Sumner, who performs for tsunami relief on February 4 at Bangalore and February 6 in New Delhi, told the daily he loves the country.

"In a sense I am more of a Hindu ... I like the Hindu religion more than anything else at the moment.

"I have become addicted to India ... I would want to spend the rest of my life discovering your beautiful country."

The performances are being billed as the first full solo concerts by Sting in India.

DNA Networks, which is staging the shows, says all the funds will go to assist tsunami victims in India where more than 16 000 people died in the December 26 tragedy.

To coincide with the concerts, Universal Music is to release a special limited edition of the 2003 album, Sacred Love. The album features Ravi Shankar's daughter Anoushka playing sitar in "The Book of my Life".

AFP