MUMBAI (AFP) - France's former first lady Valerie Trierweiler tried to shrug off the furore over her split from President Francois Hollande on a trip to India on Monday, telling a media scrum that she was feeling "very good".

In her first public appearance since the weekend announcement of the separation, Ms Trierweiler appeared relaxed as a pack of journalists followed her every step of a trip to Mumbai that saw her visit a hospital and a slum.

"I'm feeling very good about being here," the 48-year-old told a press conference where she declined to answer questions about her private life.

"This visit has been in my diary for the last six months and we have been planning it for the last year. I wouldn't have missed it for the world."

Ms Trierweiler insisted she would only discuss her work promoting French charity Action Against Hunger which has organised her two-day trip to the Indian financial capital. She flew in from Paris late on Sunday.

During her visit to a hospital on Monday, patients looked on with bemusement at the media circus that shadowed her.

Ms Trierweiler said she had found the sight of premature babies "very moving" and promised to continue to highlight malnutrition.

"It's an injustice because even if everything is done for the best, they don't have the same resources as in our hospitals," she said at the maternity ward where she saw some pre-term babies weighing less than one kilogram.

Up to 20 policemen stood guard to keep order with patients left perplexed by the sight of the glamorous mother-of-three who spent a week in hospital herself after revelations about Mr Hollande's affair.

Later at a malnutrition centre in the giant Dharavi slum, featured in the hit film "Slumdog Millionaire", she tasted a paste given to undernourished children and underlined India's child mortality rate.

"In India a child dies every 30 seconds, not all from malnutrition," she said.

The twice-married career journalist visited India in February last year with Mr Hollande.

She spent time at a shelter for street children in New Delhi and spoke of her desire as First Lady to become a champion of children's rights.

A 'Necessary' Split

Mr Hollande announced to AFP on Saturday that he was splitting from his partner of eight years following intense media
scrutiny over his relationship with French actress Julie Gayet, 41.

The separation has fuelled debate in France about whether an official role is necessary for a president's partner or spouse.

A recent poll by Le Parisien daily showed that 54 per cent of French people felt it was not.

The Socialist leader heads to Turkey on Monday on his first trip abroad since the split.

Labour Minister Michel Sapin, who is close to Mr Hollande, said on Sunday that the separation "was necessary for the sake of clarity".

A source in Ms Trierweiler's entourage told AFP that she was "on good terms with the president", adding that they had lunched together on Thursday to finalise the end of their relationship.

She is visiting India accompanied by a presidential bodyguard and was greeted by French ambassador Francois Richier at the airport.

The break-up followed revelations two weeks ago in Closer magazine that Mr Hollande had been having an affair with Ms Gayet, whom he allegedly visited late at night on a motor scooter.

Mr Hollande has reiterated that he has no intention of speaking about his private life despite attacks from opponents in France who have slammed his alleged infidelity.

The 59-year-old has four children from former partner Segolene Royal, a Socialist party presidential candidate in 2007 from whom he officially split shortly after her defeat by Nicolas Sarkozy.

He then started living openly with Ms Trierweiler, who assumed the role of first lady at official functions after Mr Hollande's election in 2012.

"I believe that everybody now understands that president or not president, one is entitled to have a private life," Mr Hollande told Time magazine on Saturday.

Intense interest

Ms Trierweiler's decision to reappear publicly in India was a surprise and the trip has required some careful planning by local
organisers because of the intense media interest.

It is being financed mostly by private Indian partners, the charity said.

"Because of the large number of media people, it was more difficult to organise which forced us to review the organisation," a spokeswoman for Action Against Hunger told AFP.

r Hollande told Time magazine on Saturday.

He heads to Turkey on Monday on his first trip abroad since the split.

Ms Trierweiler's decision to reappear publicly in India was a surprise and the trip has required some careful planning by local organisers because of the intense media interest.

It is being financed mostly by private Indian partners, the charity said.

"Because of the large number of media people, it was more difficult to organise which forced us to review the organisation," a spokeswoman for Action Against Hunger told AFP.