Bengaluru : The Bangalore International Mediation, Arbitration, and Conciliation Centre (BIMACC), in association with Jain (Deemed-to-be University), will host a landmark national conclave titled “Two Decades of Mediation: Bridge the Divide” on 27 June 2026 at the CMS Business School Auditorium, Jain (Deemed-to-be University), Bengaluru.
The conclave commemorates two decades of the mediation movement in Karnataka and celebrates its contribution to strengthening access to justice, reducing litigation, preserving relationships, and promoting a culture of dialogue and consensus-building. The event will bring together judges, jurists, legal practitioners, mediators, academicians, policymakers, law students, and international experts to reflect upon the achievements of the past and chart the future course of mediation in India.
The inaugural session will be graced by the Hon’ble Governor of Karnataka, who will honour the pioneers who laid the foundation for court-annexed mediation in Karnataka, including the first Patron-in-Chief and the first Board of Governors of the Bangalore Mediation Centre.
A major highlight of the programme will be the formal release by the Hon’ble Governor of a ‘Commentary on The Mediation Act 2023’ and ‘Mediation Train the Trainer Manual’ authored by Mr. B. C. Thiruvengadam, Senior Advocate, International Arbitrator and Mediator, Honorary Director of BIMACC, and one of the pioneers of the mediation movement in India:
Commentary on The Mediation Act, 2023 – a comprehensive and authoritative analysis of India’s landmark mediation legislation, examining its legal framework, institutional architecture, practical implications and emerging jurisprudence; and
Mediation Train the Trainer Manual – a practical resource developed to assist mediation trainers, institutions, law schools, judges, lawyers, and professionals in designing and delivering high-quality mediation training programmes.
The publication of these works coincides with a transformative phase in the development of mediation in India following the enactment of the Mediation Act, 2023, and reflects the growing need for scholarly and practical resources to support the effective implementation of mediation across the country.
The programme will be presided over by Justice Cyriac Joseph, former Judge of the Supreme Court of India and Patron of BIMACC. Distinguished Guests of Honour include Justice Sanjay Karol and Justice Aravind Kumar, Judges of the Supreme Court of India, who will address the gathering on the evolving role of mediation in strengthening the justice delivery system.
Delivering the thematic address on “Twenty Years of Mediation – Bridge the Divide”, Mr. B. C. Thiruvengadam will focus on the need to have mediation as an important mechanism to bridge the divide between those who can have access to courts and those who cannot.
A special felicitation ceremony titled “Stars of Mediation” will honour sitting and former Judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts, former Chief Justices, pioneer mediators, mediation trainers, and distinguished contributors whose efforts have significantly advanced mediation and access to justice in India. Dr. Chenraj Roychand, Chancellor, Jain University, will be honoured for his contribution to the cause of Alternative Dispute Resolution in India.
The conclave will feature three high-level panel discussions involving judges, senior advocates, legal academics, industry leaders, and international experts:
Panel Discussion 1: Docket Exclusion – Access to Justice
Exploring how mediation and consensual dispute resolution can reduce court congestion while enhancing access to justice.
Panel Discussion 2: Beyond Education: Law Schools as Engines of Access to Justice through Student-Led Pro Bono Mediation
Examining the role of law schools in establishing mediation centres and integrating clinical legal education with community dispute resolution.
Panel Discussion 3: The Real Threat to the Legal Profession: Unregulated Dispute Resolution versus Institutional Mediation
Discussing the importance of quality assurance, ethical standards, professional competence, and institutional oversight in dispute resolution.
The conclave seeks to reaffirm mediation as an essential pillar of a modern justice system and to encourage greater collaboration among courts, legal institutions, universities, professional bodies, and civil society organisations in expanding access to consensual dispute resolution.
The event marks not only a celebration of the achievements of the past twenty years but also a collective commitment to building a future in which mediation becomes an integral part of India’s justice ecosystem.